Madsen, S/Sgt. James P.

Madsen1

S/Sgt. James P. Madsen Jr. 
Born: 4 September 1924 – Chicago, Illinois 
Parents: James P. Madsen Sr. & Helen Madsen 
Siblings: 1 sister 
Home: 
– 1730 North Seventy-Ninth Avenue – Elmwood Park, Illinois 
Education: 
– Concordia High School, River Forest, Illinois 
– Proviso Township High School 
– Class of 1944 
– left before class graduated – 29 May 1942 
Occupation: Chicago & Northwestern Railroad – communications department
Wife: Thelma E. Madsen 
Residence: 1403 Park Avenue – River Forest, Illinois
Selective Service Registration: 29 June 1942
Contact Person: James P. Madsen Sr. – father
Enlisted: 
– U.S. Army Air Corps 
– 26 October 1942 – Chicago, Illinois 
Serial Number: 16144800 
Training: Unknown 
– tail gunner 
Unit: 
– 32nd Bomb Squadron, 301st Bomber Group (Heavy), 15th Air Force 
– he was a member of a B-17F bomber crew 
– Plane’s Army Serial Number: 42-30134 
Bombing Missions: 
– 2 November 1943 – began operations 
– Flew missions over these countries 
– Tunisia, North Africa – November 1943 
– assigned to his unit while it was on rest & relaxation 
– Italy 
– The unit relocated during December 1943 
– planes flew out of Cerignola No. 1 Army Airfield 
Killed in Action: 
– 25 December 1943 -over Italy 
– unlimited visibility – 12:44 AM 
Mission: 
– destroy railroad bridge – Bolzano, Italy 
– dropped bombs over the target 
– plane’s#2 engine hit by flak from anti-aircraft guns 
– the plane was hit a second time by flak in the radio room 
– it was hit a third time near upper ball turret- right wing came off 
– the plane fell in a spiral from the formation at about 10,000 feet per minute 
– at about 10,000 feet the plane disintegrated 
– four of nine crew members escape from the plane 
Buried: 
– Florence American Cemetery, Via Cassia, Italy 
-Plot: G Row: 9 Grave: 2 
Medals: 
– Purple Heart 
– Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster 

 

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