Chandler James Harris "Hap"

Monuments

B-17 #42-102585 ‘The Betty L’ Monument

Crash of the B-17 'The Betty L' Plaque

Name:

James Harris "Hap" Chandler

Rank:

Flight Officer

Serial Number:

T-123924

Unit:

534th Bomber Squadron, 381st Bomb Group

Date of Death:

2002-06-26

State:

Tennessee

Cemetery:

Memphis Memory Gardens, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Comments:

James Harris "Hap" Chandler was born on April 27, 1924, in Arkansas. He was the son of Jack Swift Chandler and Minnie Lee Harris Chandler. He was married to Alice Barham Chandler.

James served in the 534th Bomber Squadron, 381st Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Flight Officer and Navigator on the B-17 #42-102585 'The Betty L' during World War II.

On June 24, 1944, his crew took off from Station 167 airfield in Ridgewell, England, for a bombing mission to La Riche - Tours, France. Around 08:30H, their plane was shot down by flak, taking a direct hit to the radio room and setting the engine no. 3 on fire. The plane crashed in the town of Valléres. This incident resulted in the deaths of four crew members, four were taken as prisoners, and one member evaded the German capture. F/O Chandler was one of those who were captured. He was taken to Stalag Luft 7A in Moosburg, Bavaria, Germany.

F/O Chandler died on June 26, 2002, at the age of 78, in Memphis, Tennessee. He is now buried in the Memphis Memory Gardens, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net