Crew Roster · Personal File
James M. Harrison
Navigator · 409th Squadron
2nd Lt. James M. Harrison served as Pilot Navigator aboard aircraft 42-50989 on the 11 September 1944 mission to Magdeburg. He was listed as MIA on the original report; his status was subsequently updated to Dead (KIA). His name appears in the file's administrative tracking log alongside Womble, Hedeman, and Yane.
Killed in ActionPASSED 11 SEP 1944
Sortie Log
2 CATALOGUED SORTIES
11 SEP 1944 — 11 SEP 1944
11 SEP 1944 — 11 SEP 1944
The sorties 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.
8AF Mission
Date
Target
Aircraft
№ 623
11 SEP 1944
Magdeburg
B-24J serial number 42-50989 was flying as Group Lead on 11 September 1944, piloted by Captain Louis Novotny. The aircraft had no nickname recorded. The aircraft was hit by flak over the target at Magdeburg at approximately 1235 hours. The ship swung off to the left with bomb-bay doors open. An eyewitness (Capt. W. M. Bryan, flying as deputy lead) saw seven men exit the aircraft - four from the waist escape hatch, one from the rear of the bomb-bay, one from the forward bomb-bay, and one from the top escape hatch. Three parachutes were observed opening by gunners. The aircraft was subsequently seen to explode to the rear of the formation. The MACR was prepared on 14 September 1944 by 1st Lt. George I. Meisel, Statistical Officer. Unmatched crew (not in DB): Novotny (pilot, RTD), Hudnyk (co-pilot, MIA), Mushrush (navigator, RTD), O'Donnell (Mickey operator, RTD), Hansen (engineer, RTD), Braden (tail gunner, POW), McCafferty (aircraft commander, RTD).
42-50989
№ 623
11 SEP 1944
Magdeburg
B-24J serial number 42-50989 was flying as Group Lead on 11 September 1944, piloted by Captain Louis Novotny. The aircraft had no nickname recorded. The aircraft was hit by flak over the target at Magdeburg at approximately 1235 hours. The ship swung off to the left with bomb-bay doors open. An eyewitness (Capt. W. M. Bryan, flying as deputy lead) saw seven men exit the aircraft - four from the waist escape hatch, one from the rear of the bomb-bay, one from the forward bomb-bay, and one from the top escape hatch. Three parachutes were observed opening by gunners. The aircraft was subsequently seen to explode to the rear of the formation. The MACR was prepared on 14 September 1944 by 1st Lt. George I. Meisel, Statistical Officer. Unmatched crew (not in DB): Novotny (pilot, RTD), Hudnyk (co-pilot, MIA), Mushrush (navigator, RTD), O'Donnell (Mickey operator, RTD), Hansen (engineer, RTD), Braden (tail gunner, POW), McCafferty (aircraft commander, RTD).
42-50989
§ Interment
Cemetery
Lorraine American Cemetery
Location
G 8 30