James Clifton McClanahan

Military
media-30399.png UPL 30399 HQ ETOUSA Special Orders #238 EXTRACT, 26 August 1943 384th Bomb Group collection

384thbombgroup.com

Object Number - UPL 30399 - HQ ETOUSA Special Orders #238 EXTRACT, 26 August 1943

Original crew of 384th on activation in 1942, Boise, Idaho. Squadron Bombardier & lead crew -- Pilot Phil Algar. Flew the August 17, 1943 and the October 14, 1943 missions. [Schweinfurt] Led Group on Black Thursday (October 14, 1943. ) Awarded DFC for the effort. Also shot down an Me109. Our crew was fortunate as we had only one crew member seriously wounded -- left waist gunner Loring G. Millar -- who was awarded the Silver Star for his courage on this mission. We were the only crew of the 384th able to land at Grafton-Underwood becuase of weather and damaged aircraft. Of the 18 aircraft taking off only 11 returned to base. Lost 5 to enemy antiaircraft -- 4 fighters -- 1 bailed out over England as the pilot was unable to find an airfield on which to land. All of the members of our crew except one finished the combat missions, 25 at that time. Plane was 'Battle Wagon'. After I finished my combat missions I went to the 94th Combat Wing as Wing Bombardier. Wing commander was BG Julian K. Lacey. Returned to the States in August 1944. Had an 8 month old son who I had never seen. Was quite an experience.



DFC w/ 2 Oak Leaf Cluster, 8 Air Medals



1 Me109

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lucky Thirteen
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Hartsville, Tennessee 10 August 1917

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self

James Clifton McClanahan: Gallery (3 items)