James Joseph Melillo
Military![Staff Sergeant James Melillo, of the 303rd Bomb Group, reads a book. Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 28 Jan 1943. [stamp] and ‘238654.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'In private life, James Melillo followed the unusual occupation of Tree Surgeon. Today, he is a Staff Sergeant in the U.S.A.A.F. Aged 23, and single, he was educated at the Oyster Bay High School, and his parents' home is at 155 Summer Street, Oyster Bay, Long Is](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/wysiwyg_x2/public/freeman/media-378929.jpg.webp?itok=hKu1ub3T)
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 1061 - Staff Sergeant James Melillo, of the 303rd Bomb Group, reads a book. Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp],...
Assigned to 423BS, 306BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 1-May-43 in B-17 42-5422. Plane crashed into Brest Harbour on a mission to the U-boat yards at St. Nazaire, France. Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 15619
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-4424322
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 9C
![A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379028.jpg.webp?itok=6Gc6iR0j)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Oyster Bay, NY | 29 October 1919 | |
|
Enlisted |
New York City, NY | 11 January 1942 | New York City, New York |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Bad Sulza, Germany | 1 May 1943 | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag IXc. |
|
Other Discharged USAAF |
25 June 1946 | Honourable discharge. | |
|
Died |
Martin County, FL, USA | 14 November 1976 | |
|
Buried |
All Saints Cemetery Jensen Beach, Martin County, FL | 17 November 1976 | All Saints Cemetery Jensen Beach, Martin County, Florida |
|
Based |
Thurleigh | 1 May 1943 | Assigned to 423BS, 306BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Changed the location of the "POW" event to Germany from the "English Channel".
Florida Death Index, 1877-1998 from Ancestry.com & Find-A-Grave Memorial # 70889511
Corrected the Aircraft Serial # in the biograph per data from the American Air Museum in Britian.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15619 / MACR 15619, Losses of the 8th and 9th AF Vol. I p 113 by Bishop and Hey, NARA POW records, First Over Germany pg. 104 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
![Staff Sergeant James Melillo, of the 303rd Bomb Group, reads a book. Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 28 Jan 1943. [stamp] and ‘238654.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'In private life, James Melillo followed the unusual occupation of Tree Surgeon. Today, he is a Staff Sergeant in the U.S.A.A.F. Aged 23, and single, he was educated at the Oyster Bay High School, and his parents' home is at 155 Summer Street, Oyster Bay, Long Is](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378929.jpg.webp?itok=esAFEa1r)