1943 — North Africa
Cpl. James F Black was a GUNNER in a B-25 Mitchell Medium Bomber, in the 310th Bomb Group, the 428th Bomb Squadron and was KIA / Shot-down 7 Sept. 1943.
Friday, 12 March 1943
428th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order ---/mission ---) Group Mission # 60: The following day the outfit had a battle on their hands. The mission was the same as usual--another sea search. The formation sighted eleven vessels consisting of Siebel Ferries and barges. As before there were two flights, upper and lower. Then ran into intense, accurate light flak and machine gun fire at the target. As the lower flight was on its bomb run, bombs from the higher element were seen to drop among the vessels and black smoke came up from two of them. The lower flight then tore into the vessels, dropping bombs and finishing what had been started by the first flight.It was hard to determine the exact damage done, as the weather was bad; however, an observer, Flight Lieutenant Dunn, R.A.F., was of the opinion that a least six vessels were sunk. A two-engine enemy aircraft, seen in the distance, was attacked by escort and seen to go down into the sea. Lt. Stack received a nasty shoulder wound from flak.
A/C No. 3 aircraft unidentified - may be “Bad Seed”
P Brock, James C., 1Lt
CP Blaauw, Harold A., 1Lt
B Spencer, Ronald L., S/Sgt
R Marrs, Horace S., S/Sgt
G Black, James F., Cpl
James was a friend of Bombardier Lt. Ronald Spencer, and some pictures and text included in the records kept for Ronald. Recordsand photo shared by Ronald's Nephew, Jerry Spencer.
Barbi Ennis Connolly, Historical Researcher with the 57th Bomb Wing History Team of John T Fitzgerald, Patti Johnson and Barbi Connolly.