James R. Vest

The Man Behind the Name

§ Biography

S/Sgt James R. Vest served as waist gunner on the August 1, 1943 Ploesti mission. Reed listed him as 'freed.' Vest was wounded; his face was bleeding before the bailout. His parachute opened successfully.

After landing, Vest was brought to Reed at a house while both were prisoners of Romanian forces. Both men were told that Lt. Warner was alive. Vest was eventually freed, most likely after Romania's surrender in August 1944, and returned to duty.

Service record.

§ As Catalogued

Rank

Staff Sergeant

Position

Waist Gunner

Missions flown.

4 catalogued · 01 Aug 1943 — 01 Aug 1943

The missions below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.

№

Date

Target

Aircraft

№ 115

01 Aug 1943

Ploesti Oil Fields

“Euroclydon The Storm”