James William "Jimmy" Barton was born on December 28, 1916. He was the son of James Daniel Barton and Anna Elizabeth Pauline. He was married to Mary June Zongker on July 2, 1942, in the home of her parents in Springfield, Greene Co, MO.

James served in the 91st Troop Carrier Squadron, 578th Bomber Squadron, 392nd Bomber Group (Heavy) as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot of the B-24H #42-7485 'Alfred' in World War II. He survived on January 4, 1944, in the crash of their aircraft when it was returning from the combat mission to Kiel, Germany. Due to severe aircraft damage, they were forced to attempt a crash landing just on the Northeastern coast of East Anglia at the small village of Sheringham, Norfolk. Four (4) crewmen were killed outright in the crash, and a fifth died in a hospital at Cromer four days later. The others also survived.

After the war, Jimmy served as City Electrical Inspector for Springfield for 34 years until retirement. He died of an apparent heart attack on June 10, 1990, in Springfield. He is now buried in the Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, Springfield, Greene County, Missouri.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com