Staff Sergeant James Kolbie Bain, born 25 Aug 1923 in Albany, Georgia, was the son of James and Ellie A. (Kolbie) Bain of 1225 S. 29th Street, Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama.
In the 1935 Florida state census 11-year-old James is living with his parents and aunt Annie Kolbie 44, in precinct 21 of Dade County, Florida. His father is an engraver and was born in Scotland.
In the 1940 census 16-year-old James is living with his parents at 703 Fifth Ave., in Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida. His father is a salesman and engraver for a retail jeweler.
In the 1942 Birmingham, AL, city directory, James is living with his parents at 1225 S 29th Street, apt 2.
James had four years of high school and enlisted 13 Jan 1943 at Fort McClellan, Alabama.
S/Sgt Bain was the armorer and a gunner on B-24 42-94949. On a mission to bomb aircraft factories at Wels, Austria, his plane was hit by bombs dropped from another B-24 above theirs. One account says their plane crashed at Puchberg am Schneeberg, Austria.
Eye witness account of Staff Sergeant Richard A. Dakin: "At about 1043 hours, on 30 May 1944, over Wels, Austria, I saw a B-24 number 949 about 50 feet below and slightly behind our plane. It was hit by bombs dropped by our plane, which blew up his number one gas tank. A moment later, the left wing and both engines dropped off. The plane spun downward and to its left. I followed it to about one thousand feet, and then lost it. I saw no chutes emerge."
On a bombing mission out of Foggia, Italy to strike the aircraft works in Wels during World War II.
B-24H Liberator #42-94949 was struck by a bomb dropped from another B-24 above, causing the airplane to disintegrate and they crashed at Puchberg bei Wels, Austria, killing seven crew members. Three survived and were captured by the Germans and held as POWs until the end of the war. MACR 5454.
KIA were:
1st Lt. Kenneth D Fetty, Pilot
2nd Lt. Richard J Higgins, Bombardier
S/Sgt. James K Bain, Gunner
S/Sgt. Robert H Davis, Gunner
S/Sgt. Thomas C Elder, Radio Operator/Gunner
Sgt. Myrel R Shenk, Gunner
Sgt. Raymond P Tarpy, Gunner
Enlisted at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, January 13, 1943.
In the 1935 Florida state census 11-year-old James is living with his parents and aunt Annie Kolbie 44, in precinct 21 of Dade County, Florida. His father is an engraver and was born in Scotland.
In the 1940 census 16-year-old James is living with his parents at 703 Fifth Ave., in Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida. His father is a salesman and engraver for a retail jeweler.
In the 1942 Birmingham, AL, city directory, James is living with his parents at 1225 S 29th Street, apt 2.
James had four years of high school and enlisted 13 Jan 1943 at Fort McClellan, Alabama.
S/Sgt Bain was the armorer and a gunner on B-24 42-94949. On a mission to bomb aircraft factories at Wels, Austria, his plane was hit by bombs dropped from another B-24 above theirs. One account says their plane crashed at Puchberg am Schneeberg, Austria.
Eye witness account of Staff Sergeant Richard A. Dakin: "At about 1043 hours, on 30 May 1944, over Wels, Austria, I saw a B-24 number 949 about 50 feet below and slightly behind our plane. It was hit by bombs dropped by our plane, which blew up his number one gas tank. A moment later, the left wing and both engines dropped off. The plane spun downward and to its left. I followed it to about one thousand feet, and then lost it. I saw no chutes emerge."
On a bombing mission out of Foggia, Italy to strike the aircraft works in Wels during World War II.
B-24H Liberator #42-94949 was struck by a bomb dropped from another B-24 above, causing the airplane to disintegrate and they crashed at Puchberg bei Wels, Austria, killing seven crew members. Three survived and were captured by the Germans and held as POWs until the end of the war. MACR 5454.
KIA were:
1st Lt. Kenneth D Fetty, Pilot
2nd Lt. Richard J Higgins, Bombardier
S/Sgt. James K Bain, Gunner
S/Sgt. Robert H Davis, Gunner
S/Sgt. Thomas C Elder, Radio Operator/Gunner
Sgt. Myrel R Shenk, Gunner
Sgt. Raymond P Tarpy, Gunner
Enlisted at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, January 13, 1943.
Staff Sergeant James Kolbie Bain, born 25 Aug 1923 in Albany, Georgia, was the son of James and Ellie A. (Kolbie) Bain of 1225 S. 29th Street, Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama.
In the 1935 Florida state census 11-year-old James is living with his parents and aunt Annie Kolbie 44, in precinct 21 of Dade County, Florida. His father is an engraver and was born in Scotland.
In the 1940 census 16-year-old James is living with his parents at 703 Fifth Ave., in Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida. His father is a salesman and engraver for a retail jeweler.
In the 1942 Birmingham, AL, city directory, James is living with his parents at 1225 S 29th Street, apt 2.
James had four years of high school and enlisted 13 Jan 1943 at Fort McClellan, Alabama.
S/Sgt Bain was the armorer and a gunner on B-24 42-94949. On a mission to bomb aircraft factories at Wels, Austria, his plane was hit by bombs dropped from another B-24 above theirs. One account says their plane crashed at Puchberg am Schneeberg, Austria.
Eye witness account of Staff Sergeant Richard A. Dakin: "At about 1043 hours, on 30 May 1944, over Wels, Austria, I saw a B-24 number 949 about 50 feet below and slightly behind our plane. It was hit by bombs dropped by our plane, which blew up his number one gas tank. A moment later, the left wing and both engines dropped off. The plane spun downward and to its left. I followed it to about one thousand feet, and then lost it. I saw no chutes emerge."
On a bombing mission out of Foggia, Italy to strike the aircraft works in Wels during World War II.
B-24H Liberator #42-94949 was struck by a bomb dropped from another B-24 above, causing the airplane to disintegrate and they crashed at Puchberg bei Wels, Austria, killing seven crew members. Three survived and were captured by the Germans and held as POWs until the end of the war. MACR 5454.
KIA were:
1st Lt. Kenneth D Fetty, Pilot
2nd Lt. Richard J Higgins, Bombardier
S/Sgt. James K Bain, Gunner
S/Sgt. Robert H Davis, Gunner
S/Sgt. Thomas C Elder, Radio Operator/Gunner
Sgt. Myrel R Shenk, Gunner
Sgt. Raymond P Tarpy, Gunner
Enlisted at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, January 13, 1943.
In the 1935 Florida state census 11-year-old James is living with his parents and aunt Annie Kolbie 44, in precinct 21 of Dade County, Florida. His father is an engraver and was born in Scotland.
In the 1940 census 16-year-old James is living with his parents at 703 Fifth Ave., in Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida. His father is a salesman and engraver for a retail jeweler.
In the 1942 Birmingham, AL, city directory, James is living with his parents at 1225 S 29th Street, apt 2.
James had four years of high school and enlisted 13 Jan 1943 at Fort McClellan, Alabama.
S/Sgt Bain was the armorer and a gunner on B-24 42-94949. On a mission to bomb aircraft factories at Wels, Austria, his plane was hit by bombs dropped from another B-24 above theirs. One account says their plane crashed at Puchberg am Schneeberg, Austria.
Eye witness account of Staff Sergeant Richard A. Dakin: "At about 1043 hours, on 30 May 1944, over Wels, Austria, I saw a B-24 number 949 about 50 feet below and slightly behind our plane. It was hit by bombs dropped by our plane, which blew up his number one gas tank. A moment later, the left wing and both engines dropped off. The plane spun downward and to its left. I followed it to about one thousand feet, and then lost it. I saw no chutes emerge."
On a bombing mission out of Foggia, Italy to strike the aircraft works in Wels during World War II.
B-24H Liberator #42-94949 was struck by a bomb dropped from another B-24 above, causing the airplane to disintegrate and they crashed at Puchberg bei Wels, Austria, killing seven crew members. Three survived and were captured by the Germans and held as POWs until the end of the war. MACR 5454.
KIA were:
1st Lt. Kenneth D Fetty, Pilot
2nd Lt. Richard J Higgins, Bombardier
S/Sgt. James K Bain, Gunner
S/Sgt. Robert H Davis, Gunner
S/Sgt. Thomas C Elder, Radio Operator/Gunner
Sgt. Myrel R Shenk, Gunner
Sgt. Raymond P Tarpy, Gunner
Enlisted at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, January 13, 1943.
Inscription
JAMES K. BAIN
SSGT 741 BOMB SQ 455 BOMB GP (H)
ALABAMA MAY 30 1944
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