James Carlton Simmons
Military
Back row, from left to right :
1st Lt. Milton Marion “Milt” Stenstrom (Pilot), 1st Lt. Robert L. "Rob" Carlberg (Copilot), 1st Lt. Ewart Theodore "Sconnie" Sconiers (Bombardier), 1st Lt. Harold "Harry" "Shorty" Spire (Navigator).
Bottom Row, from left to right:
Sgt. James C. "Jim" Simmons (Tail Gunner), Sgt. Thomas C. "Tom" Calhoun (Waist Gunner), Staff Sgt. William A. "Bill" Adams (Radio Operator), Sgt. William E. "Bill" Schimke (Ball Turret Gunner), Sgt. John M. Hughes (Waist Gunner), Staff Sgt. Roy T. Nalley (Engineer / Top Turret Gunner).
(Photo courtesy of Fredrick Richard "Rick" Flack)
Updated by Fredrick Richard "Rick" Flack on July 29, 2020.
Object Number - UPL 30635 - The B-17F JOHNNY REB JR. or II (41-24443) crew on the October 21, 1942 97th BG Mission #16. Back row, from left to right : 1st Lt. Milton Marion...
Shot down 21 October 1942 in B-17 #41-24443 while serving as Tail Gunner, Prisoner of War (POW). After being held at Stalag Luft 1 (Barth, Germany), he was transferred to Stalag XIII (Hammelburg, Germany), where he was head of the escape committee.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
![Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew im](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379318.jpg.webp?itok=n7iztoxa)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14030942
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34199059
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-442752
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12036569
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15067557
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
Aircraft
![A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9089) nicknamed "Johnny Reb" of the 92nd Bomb Group, formerly of the 97th Bomb Group takes off. Image stamped on reverse: 'New York Times Photo.' [stamp], 'Air (Boeing) FLY.' [annotation] and '219847.'[Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached the the reverse however this has been lost. Handwritten caption on reverse: '4/9/42, marsh ground. Johnny Reb.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379328.jpg.webp?itok=xODFO8UW)
Missions
- Date: 21 October 1942
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Lucedale, George County, Mississippi, United States | 11 April 1920 | the son of Eugene and Irma M. Simmons |
|
Enlisted |
Montgomery, Alabama, United States | 24 June 1941 | |
|
Other Captured |
Quimper, France | 21 October 1942 | after the ditching of B-17F 41-24443 off the coast of Brittany, France and being rescued by a French fishing boat which brought him and 8 other crew members to shore. |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Barth, Germany | 21 October 1942 | Held at Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, Prussia. But later moved to Stalag XIII at Hammelburg, Bavaria. Camp was liberated by US Army 14th Armoured Division on 6 April 1945. NARA WWII POW records : "Returned to Military Control (RMC) 2 July 1945.” |
|
Died |
London, United Kingdom | 31 October 1996 | while visiting family there |
| Rural, Newton County, Mississippi, United States | |||
| Tallahassee, Florida, United States | moved there from Mississippi in 1967 | ||
|
Buried |
Roselawn Cemetery in Tallahassee, Florida, United States |
Revisions
Added an association to Stalag Luft 1 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
US Census 1940
NARA WWII Enlistment Records
NARA WWII POW Records
SSDI (Social Security Death Index)
Lee Cunningham 22-Nov-2014. Added POW event. National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database. Liberation date and unit from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_XIII-C.
Lee Cunningham 28-Oct-2014. "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John Hey MBE; National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database; Stalag information at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_XIII-C and http://powvets.com/camp-locations/stalags-13-21/
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol 1, pp 38-39 by Bishop and Hey