Burns James Joseph

Monuments

B-26 41-35021 'The Sheriff Rapides Parish Louisiana' Memorial

B-26 Marauder 41-35021 Cemetery Monument

Name:

James Joseph Burns

Rank:

First Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-673217

Unit:

451st Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium

Date of Death:

1944-07-19

State:

Illinois

Cemetery:

Brittany American Cemetery, Montjoie Saint Martin, France

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters

Comments:

James Joseph Burns was born in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. He was the son of Catherine Burns.

James served in the 451st Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium, as a First Lieutenant and Bombardier on the B-26 Marauder #41-35021 'The Sheriff Rapides Parish Louisiana' during World War II.

On July 19, 1944, two groups of aircraft, a total of 36 twin-engine American bombers of the 32nd Bomb Group, the 451st Bomber Squadron, took off from Station 485 in Andrew Field, England, for a bombing raid on Nantes. At 7:58 PM, 'The Sheriff Rapides Parish Louisiana' was shot down by flak, hitting the left engine and setting the bomb bay on fire. Two crew members were able to bail out, but those who didn't make it were killed in this incident. 1Lt Burns was one of the casualties. He is now buried in the Brittany American Cemetery, Montjoie Saint Martin, France.

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