James; World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938 - 1946
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 12010072 NAME HANLON JAMES A JR RESIDENCE: STATE; NEW JERSEY: COUNTY; MONMOUTH PLACE OF ENLISTMENT NEWARK NEW JERSEY DATE OF ENLISTMENT 25 Feb. 1941 PVT# Private GRADE: Private BRANCH: AC# Air Corps BRANCH; Air Corps SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL Civil Life NATIVITY NEW JERSEY YEAR OF BIRTH 1919 RACE AND CITIZENSHIP White, citizen EDUCATION 4 years of high school CIVILIAN OCCUPATION Architects MARITAL STATUS 6 Single, without dependents.

James flew most of (and first) his Combat Missions in the 310th Bomb Group, 380th BS……..

JAMES was transferred FROM the 310th Bomb Group, 380th Bomb Squadron TO the 321st BG and 447th BS;

FIRST mention; **Wednesday, 30 June 1943 (310,380) Septenber, 1943 *22. Back to work we went today. Our objective was the Road Bridge and Switchback just North of Grottaminarda, Italy. It was a highly successful Mission. Due to the intense flak over the target, Lt Hanlon's B-25 was hit with burst of flak. The 3 men in the rear of the ship bailed out. Lt Hanlon however, expertly piloted the stricken bomber to a friendly field. (Special Accounts) 310thBG_380thBS
On 16 September 1943, 2Lt. James A. Hanlon, Jr.
was a witness to the CRASH of A/C: B-25J 41-13100
P: Charles R Brown; 2Lt., DOW
CP: Samuel M Wells; 1Lt., KIA
B: George W Ash; Sgt., DOW
R: Charlie W Cooper; S/Sgt., RMC
G: Milton H Miller; Sgt., KIA
** Shot Down By Enemy Anti-Aircraft Fire ***
16 Sept 1943 A/C Serial Number: 41-13100 MAC Report Number: 718
Location: 3 Miles N E Of Capua, Italy 41°08'; 14°05' Point Of Departure: New Hall
Two minutes before reaching the target, Lt. Brown's plane received a direct hit, (burst of flak), in the left inboard wing tank, which immediately caught fire. The plane left the formation under control and dropped about three or four thousand feet. In this time, three men bailed out, but one of the three parachutes failed to open. At an altitude of about six thousand feet, the plane was clearly out of control. An explosion, presumably in the gas tanks was observed. Below this altitude,a wing and the tail section came off the plane, and it spun into the ground. The first three parachutes were the only ones seen to leave the plane. No one else was believed to have gotten out alive.
Listed Witnesses
1Lt. Joseph S. Weaver, Jr., O-358747
S/Sgt. Jack H. Bixby, 11072102
2Lt. James A. Hanlon, Jr., O-795735
+++++++++++++++

Tuesday, 9 November 1943 447th BS War Diary:No Mission---Today a General Order, Hq. 15th Air Force, dated Nov. 3 came through awarding the Silver Star to S/Sgt. Aage E. Jensen for gallantry in action during a raid July 5.Excerpts form the Order: “…although unprotected from the terrific _slipstream and suffering from severe injuries, this non-commissioned officer insisted in remaining at his post. ----His unselfish devotion _to duty and personal resourcefulness has upheld the highest traditions of the Army Air Force”.5 officers and 5 E/M were transferred_ here today from the 310th B.G. _They are:Officers: 1st Lt. J.A. Hanlon 2ndLts. R.G. Werner, R.A. Knodle, Lloyd Anderson, and P.I. Blumenfeld.***

MISSION 1 in the 447th BS; A/C No.42-32450 “Lumber Wagon” on 14 Nov. 1943

Mission TWO A/C No.41-13175“The Saint Myrtle II” (returned early) 16 Nov. 1943

_Mission THREE _A/C No.42-32450 “Lumber Wagon” 18 Nov. 1943__

**FOUR; *A/C No.42-64694 “Yankee Girl” 26 Nov. 1943*

FIVE; (as 1st Pilot) A/C No.42-64695 27 Nov. 1943

SIX; A/C No.41-13181 “The Sophisticated Lady” 28 Nov. 1943

Hanlon, James A., Jr., 1Lt

Anderson, Lloyd G., 2Lt

Blumenfeld, Philip I., 2Lt

Mercer, William R., S/Sgt

Ennis, Edward Charles “Salvo”, S/Sgt MY DAD/Ed

Armstrong, Robert E., S/Sgt

AND…………………………………

Monday, 29 November 1943 447th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order 161/mission 160) Group Mission # 162: Mission to Sarajevo.12 of our ships participated.No e/a encountered. Flak:heavy, inaccurate.Results:Fair. A/C 41-13181 "The Sophisticated Lady"

Hanlon, James A., Jr., 1Lt

Drury, Alfred C., 2Lt

Brown, Charles O., Jr., S/Sgt My Dad/Ed's best friend (KIA 2 Dec.1943)

Godwin, Charles D., S/Sgt

Boza, Elmer V., S/Sgt

Kazar, William F., S/Sgt

****

Sunday, 2 January 1944

A/C No. 42-32498

Hanlon, James A., Jr., 1Lt

Trevor, Graham J., 1Lt

Nowakowski, Joseph J., 1Lt

Jeffery, James H., PFC

Tracy, Boyd F., T/Sgt

Manning, Hillard J., S/Sgt

Lamoureau, Archille D., Sgt

447th BS War Diary: Sunday, 2 Jan. 1944; The following completed their fiftieth mission today: Capt. E.H. Beeson, Lt. Paiton, Lt Hanlon** and S/Sgt. Funk. Our New Years Day turkey was served today which helped considerable to remove the gloom that had settled over the moral on New Years Day.

Hanlon, James A., Jr., Lt, pilot

Monday, 3 January 1944

A/C No. 42-64600 Hanlon, James A., Jr., 1Lt Trevor, Graham J., 1Lt None Deane, George J., 1Lt Czabaj, Matthew W., S/Sgt Kaufold, Adolf (NMI)., S/Sgt Schrader, Harold F., S/Sgt

A/C No. 42-64694 P Hanlon, James A., Jr., 1Lt CP Davidson, James C., 2Lt N None B Adcock, Leonard E., 2Lt E Czabaj, Matthew W., S/Sgt R Wadlow, Verlin L., S/Sgt G Crowell, James M., Jr., S/Sgt

** *Friday, 28 January 1944* 447th BS War Diary: As per letter XII Hq. dated Jan. 27 the following officers and E/M were assigned for transshipment to the U.S.: 1st Lts. R.F. Halloran, J.P. Lanza, E.P. Mayben, D.W. Thomas, J.A. Hanlon H.W. Joiner, A.M. Holloway, T/Sgt. R.A. Lotitio, S/Sgts. M.J. Funk, G.P. Werner, E.F. Bartkus, W.R. Henry and F.X. Early.

Hanlon, James A., Jr., 1Lt, pilot

**321st Bomb Group History Team; John T Fitzgerald, Patti Johnson and Barbi Ennis Connolly; (321st BG Historian) *PRINCESSBARBIB25@msn.com*_

James A Hanlon Jr