James E Westphall

Military

On 7-Nov-43 while piloting P-47D 42-8370 [OS:L] "Alabama Bound", 355FG/357FS on a mission to escort B-26 formations from 9th Air Force attacking German airfields at Montdidier and Mulan, France. His is aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with P-47 42-7984 in a cloudbank over France He was able to bale out but broke both his legs when he struck the veritcal stabiliser. He was captured and kept in hospital for several weeks and then transferred to Stalag Luft 1 at Barth, Germany.

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Units served with

Aircraft

A P-47 Thunderbolt (serial number 42-8370), formerly of the 355th Fighter Group, captured by the Germans and used as a test aircraft by the Luftwaffe. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'T9+FK.'

42-8370

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Nicknames: Alabama Bound
  • Unit: 355th Fighter Group 357th Fighter Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 7 November 1943 - 6 December 1945 Held at Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, Prussia. He broke both legs in his bale out and was in hospital for several weeks. Officially Returned to Military Control (RMC) 6-Dec-45.

Born

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 10-Jul-2015. Correcting Mission associatios per MACR 1448.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 10-Jul-2015. Added SN and Rank per MACR 1448; Added POW event per National Archives Records Administraion (NARA) WWII POW database; Added Description base on "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1448 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database