Hi 91st BG,
I am really enjoying your website. Excellent work. Let me explain who I am. My name is Peter Graham and I live in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. I am an amateur historian with a great interest in the US Army Air Forces. A few years ago I acquired a B-3 shearling flight jacket. On one of the collar straps were two names and serial numbers. I have only recently begun to research the names. One name being "Badger" with a partly legible serial number beginning with what looks like 02978. I can't make out the rest. The other name is "James" with the serial number 16019982. I discovered from the U.S. National archives website that the number belonged to a Jefferson Milo James from Peoria, Illinois. With the help of a friend I discovered from the 91st BG website that James had been a Sgt in the 324th bomb squadron of the 91st BG. Sadly he was killed in action on January 23rd 1943 on a raid on the Lorient U-Boat pens. I would imagine the reason that I have his B-3 jacket is that on the low level raids crew men dispensed with the high altitude flight gear. After James's death the jacket must have been issued to Badger.
I am writing to you in the hope that you can perhaps point me in the right direction to find out more about Sgt James. I would love to know more about the young man whose jacket has ended up in my possession. Perhaps, what aircraft he flew in, who his crewmates were ? Any information you can provide would be very much appreciated. It has affected me a lot, finding out that the jacket belonged to an airman who was killed in action and ultimately I would like to put together a display, centred on the jacket and any information I can unearth, for the Ulster aviation society here in Northern Ireland, who have a strong connection to the 8th Air Force. I would appreciate it so much if you can help in any way. Many thanks and regards from Ireland. I can be contacted on pgclash66@hotmail.com.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Graham
I am really enjoying your website. Excellent work. Let me explain who I am. My name is Peter Graham and I live in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. I am an amateur historian with a great interest in the US Army Air Forces. A few years ago I acquired a B-3 shearling flight jacket. On one of the collar straps were two names and serial numbers. I have only recently begun to research the names. One name being "Badger" with a partly legible serial number beginning with what looks like 02978. I can't make out the rest. The other name is "James" with the serial number 16019982. I discovered from the U.S. National archives website that the number belonged to a Jefferson Milo James from Peoria, Illinois. With the help of a friend I discovered from the 91st BG website that James had been a Sgt in the 324th bomb squadron of the 91st BG. Sadly he was killed in action on January 23rd 1943 on a raid on the Lorient U-Boat pens. I would imagine the reason that I have his B-3 jacket is that on the low level raids crew men dispensed with the high altitude flight gear. After James's death the jacket must have been issued to Badger.
I am writing to you in the hope that you can perhaps point me in the right direction to find out more about Sgt James. I would love to know more about the young man whose jacket has ended up in my possession. Perhaps, what aircraft he flew in, who his crewmates were ? Any information you can provide would be very much appreciated. It has affected me a lot, finding out that the jacket belonged to an airman who was killed in action and ultimately I would like to put together a display, centred on the jacket and any information I can unearth, for the Ulster aviation society here in Northern Ireland, who have a strong connection to the 8th Air Force. I would appreciate it so much if you can help in any way. Many thanks and regards from Ireland. I can be contacted on pgclash66@hotmail.com.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Graham
