James B Fisher Jr

James B Fisher, Jr. joined the AAC at  FT OGLETHORPE GEORGIA ( ST LOUIS CITY ) Missouri on 1 November, 1941 -14063802-  James had completed college, was an ARTIST and single at emlistmrnt.  Born in 1914 in Missouri.

James B Fisher, Jr; 0-659966 From Missouri Shot-Down 8 Oct. 1943 Served in the MTO POW held in Germany...

Stalag 2A Neubrandenburg Mecklenberg 53-13  Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated   30 Jan. 1945

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_II-A

8 Oct. 1943

"445th BS War Diary: Our men are encountering more and more small Italian children
who stand by the garbage pails and be food. They are apparently ill fed. Back in Africa
there were the Arab children who pulled the same thing. Here, the plot is the same but
the characters different. Once again our men got a look at Photo Jerry this morning. He
is apparently interested in this base which is an aerial beehive. Our Squadron lost two
planes today in the raid on the Athens Eleusis Airdrome. Great damage was caused and several enemy fighters were destroyed, however."

Planes and Crew Lost 8 Oct. 1943; 

  A/C No.   42-64675 (missing crews – at sea)

P Fisher, James B., Jr.,Lt.

CP Carmine, John W., Lt.

N Osburn, Hobat G., 2Lt

E  Kunis, Theodore C., S/Sgt

R  Garthwaite, Howard S., S/Sgt

 G Woronuk, John (NMI), Cpl O’Neill, Phillip W., Sgt

F Corning, C. H., Capt (observer)

CREW; Theodore C. Kunis (Army serial # 33069075)    http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&tf=F&q=33069075&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=3559152 ("K" is unreadable)

Howard L Garthwaite;  POW  Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15 http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=466&mtch=2&tf=F&q=Garthwaite,&bc=sl,fd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=67387&rlst=67386,67387

The B-25 plane number was #42-64675 and the crew was:

Pilot:  Fisher, James B., Jr., 1Lt, SN#O&659966

CoPilot:  Carmine, John W., 2Lt, SN#O&794527

Navigator: Osburn, Hobart G., 2Lt, SN#O&669098

Bombardier: McLeod, Jack P., 2Lt, SN#O&731211

Engineer:  Kunis, Theodore C., S/Sgt, SN#33069075

R  Garthwaite, Howard S., S/Sgt, SN#32402780

G  Woronuk, John (NMI), Cpl, SN#6846610 (POW record of SN#, no enlistment record)

 Their plane was damaged on their first bombing mission to Athens' Eleusis Airdrome in Greece.  They were forced to ditch in the Gulf of Corinth at 1:45 PM ("that's when my wrist watch stopped" related Bart Osburn).  After trying to paddle their 6-man lifeboat (2 had to hang on from the water) to the shore, which was in sight, without little or no success, they were picked up by a German cutter at about 6 PM and taken to a German camp in the mountains of Greece.  From the mountain camp in Greece the crew was loaded on a train and taken to Frankfort, Germany (Dulag Luft near Frankfurt-am-Main).

 After the Dulog Luft interrogation stop, the officer POWs were taken by train to Stalag Luft 1 near Barth, German on the Baltic Sea where he was held from October 1943 to May 1, 1945 when the Russians had liberated the camp.  [Note: National Archives records list camp as: "Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia".]  After contact was made with the Russians arrangements were made to evacuate the liberated POWs by air. This was completed by 15 May 1945.

 The plane's officers were held at Stalag Luft 1 in the following compounds:

1st Lt. James B. Fisher, Jr. (Missouri), South Compound (NOTE: National Archives POW records has him held at: Stalag 2A Neubrandenburg Mecklenberg)

2nd Lt. John W. Carmine (Virginia), North 1 & North 2 Compounds

2nd Lt. Hobart G. Osburn (Oklahoma), South Compound

2nd Lt. Jack P. McLeod (South Carolina), South Compound

Capt. Clarence H. Corning (Massachusetts), South Compound and then the North 1 Compound (Barracks Commander of Barracks 9).

 ***********************************************************************************************After the Dulog Luft stop, the enlisted personnel were held and liberated as follows:

S/Sgt Theodore C. Kunis, (Illinois), Stalag 3 at Sagan in Silesia (now Zagan, Poland) and then marched to Spremberg and then via rail to Stalag 7A at Moosburg just before liberation on 29 April 1945 by the 14th Armored Division.

S/Sgt Howard L. Garthwaite (New York), Stalag 17B at Gneixendorf near Krems, Austria and then 4000 POWs marched to a Russian prison camp north of Braunau am Inn, Austria just before liberation on 3 May 1945 by the 13th Armored Division.   400 sick POWs left at Stalag 17B were liberated on 9 May 1945 by the Russians.  Note: Unknown which group Garthwaite was in.

Cpl John (No Mi) Woronuk (Massachusetts), Stalag 17B at Gneixendorf near Krems, Austria and then 4000 POWs marched to a Russian prison camp north of Braunau, Austria just before liberation on 3 May 1945 by the 13th Armored Division.  400 sick POWs left at Stalag 17B were liberated on 9 May 1945 by the Russians.  Note: Unknown which group Woronuk was in. 

20 July, 2008; Hi John (Fitzgerald)  I spoke with Fred Lawrence, he was the crew chief of the other ship that went down with Hartmiester, Frey, Flynn and others, 3 of that crew were KIA, 2 were returned in a few weeks and 2 went on to much bigger things (OSS).
  The crew chief of the Fisher ship was Moe Martinez, who lives in Calif.  That was the personal ship of General Knapp and she had no nose art, the Hartmiester ship had 31 Missions (27 of which while Fred was her crew chief) but no name, other than a yellow name up under the nose, "Poochie". . . ( there was a "Poopsie" already) she was not otherwise named.
  It was a long time, very long time, until the men knew the fate of that ship that Fisher and Crew went down in, and Fred remembers Fisher well. . . while not an original from the "training in the states" days, he was there a long time.  Fred has an amazing memory BUT I always remember to remind everyone that while every man was in the same war, all experienced it differently.
  If Bart wished to speak with Fred, he would like that, if he remembers more of his own ship's crew chief, (Moe Martinez) I can get his phone # as well.  (Of the CREW) Fred only knew of the life of Jim Fisher, he returned, married and had 3 daughters.  Carmine was new, he does not remember him, and he said the in his opinion that ..... All were brave men.
                       (21 Apr. 2011)     Blessings, Barbi

Barbi Ennis Connolly, Dad/447th BS, T/Sgt Ed Ennis,  321st BG and 319th BG Historian, 57th Bomb Wing Historical Researcher, PRINCESSBARBI_B25@msn.com 

  "The 321st Bomb Group History TEAM"  John T Fitzgerald (Dad, 446th BS Lt Jack Fitzgerald) and Patti (446thBS) Johnson and Barbara (447thBS Dad/Ed Ennis) Connolly.

U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946   ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 14063802 
Name: James B Fisher Jr   Birth Year: 1914    Race: White, citizen (White)     Nativity State or Country: Missouri
State of Residence: Missouri    County or City: St Louis City      Enlistment Date: 1 Nov 1941
Enlistment State: Georgia    Enlistment City: Fort Oglethorpe    Branch: Air Corps    Branch Code: Air Corps
Grade: Aviation Cadet    Grade Code: Aviation Cadet    Source: Civil Life       Education: 4 years of college    Civil Occupation: Commercial artists    Marital Status: Single, without dependents  Height: 70   Weight: 171
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World War II Prisoners of War, 1941-1946   Name: James B Jr Fisher   Race: White    Residence state: Missouri
Report Date: 8 Oct 1943   Latest Report Date: 30 Jan 1945     Grade: First Lieutenant or Chief nurse or Head dietitian or Head physical therapy aides    Grade Notes: First Lieutenant or Lt. Jr. Grade    Service Branch: Army
Arm or Service: Air Corps    Arm or Service Code: Air Corps     Organization Type: Bombardment, Medium
Parent Unit Type: 00     Area Served: Middle East Theatre: Greece    Detaining Country: Germany    Camp: 002 Stalag 2A Neubrandenburg Mecklenberg 53-13    Status: Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated
Report Source: Individual has been reported through sources considered official.
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Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002   Name: James Buckner Fisher Jr   Age: 30    Birth Date: abt 1915
Marriage Date: 3 Nov 1945   Marriage Location: St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri    Marriage County: St Louis
Spouse Name: Reka Neilson   Spouse Age: 27    Spouse Birth Date: abt 1918
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Social Security Death Index   Name: Reka N. Fisher   SSN: 496-14-2151    Last Residence: 63124 Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri,   United States of America   Born: 10 Jun 1918   Died: Jan 1993  State (Year) SSN: Missouri (Before 1951)
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Social Security Death Index   Name: James B. Fisher   SSN: 498-05-4938    Last Residence: 80303 Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America   Born: 21 Dec 1914   Died: 22 Jan 1994
State (Year) SSN issued: Missouri (Before 1951)
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JAMES BUCKNER FISHER JR.; FORMER ILLUSTRATOR: Newspaper Obituary and Death Notice
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) - Sunday, January 30, 1994   Deceased Name: JAMES BUCKNER FISHER JR.; FORMER ILLUSTRATOR  James Buckner Fisher Jr., a former architectural illustrator, artist and teacher in St. Louis, died Jan. 22, 1994, at a nursing home in Boulder, Colo., after a brief illness. He was 79.
Mr. Fisher, a lifelong resident of St. Louis, did freelance architectural renderings for various firms here and around the country from the 1960s until he retired in 1981.
In the late 1940s to the 1950s, he taught art at St. Louis Country Day School and at Washington University.
He also did oil portraits, watercolor paintings and made miniature furniture for many years. His painting, "The Reading Room," is on display in the periodical section of the St. Louis Public Library.
He graduated from Soldan High School in 1935 and earned a bachelor's degree from the Washington University School of Fine Arts. He served in the Army Air Forces in World War II and received the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and the Silver Star.
He moved to Colorado last year after the death of his wife, Reka Neilson Fisher.
The memorial service is pending. His body was cremated.
Among the survivors are a daughter, Alison Neilson Fisher of Boulder; a son, James Buckner Fisher III of Golden, Colo.; two sisters, Elizabeth Fisher Hinchey of West County and Jean Fisher Gibbs of Webster Groves; and three grandchildren.
n lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Louis Artists Guild or to the Washington University School of Fine Arts.    Photo Headshot - (James Buckner) Fisher (Jr.)Edition: FIVE STAR
SERVICE FOR JAMES BUCKNER FISHER: Newspaper Obituary and Death Notice   St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) - Sunday, February 20, 1994   Deceased Name: SERVICE FOR JAMES BUCKNER FISHER
A memorial service for James Buckner Fisher, a former architectural illustrator, artist and teacher in St. Louis, will be at noon Saturday at the Second Presbyterian Church, 4501 Westminster Place.
Mr. Fisher, 79, died Jan. 22, 1994, at a nursing home in Boulder, Colo. after a brief illness. He moved to Colorado last year after the death of his wife, Reka Neilson Fisher.
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Stalag Luft I Guestbook - 2005 - 1st Quarter
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri POW Camp: Stalag Luft I Name of POW: James Buckner Fisher Jr. Postal Street Address: 5260 Beech St City, State, Zip: Arvada, ...
http://www.merkki.com/guestbook2005page1.htm
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HIS SISTER:
HINCHEY, ELIZABETH F. (nee Fisher), passed away on Feb., 19, 1995, beloved wife of the late Dr. Norman Shreve Henchley, dear mother of Ann (Kenneth) Bohm, dear grandmother of Kevin and Tamara Bohm, dear sister of Jean (Harry) Gibbs, dear sister-in-law of Mary Bruce (the late Charles) Fisher, dear sister of the late James B. (Reka) Fisher Jr., dear aunt, cousin and friend.
Family will receive friends Tues., noon-2 p.m. at Mrs. Hinchely's residence, Friendship Village South County Apt. 494 and also Tues. 4-8 p.m. at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, 848 Green Lantern, Ballwin, MO. Mrs. Hinchley's body was gifted to Washington University School of Medicine. Contrabutions may be made in Mrs. Hinchley's memory to the American Lung Assn. or to the charity of one's choice. Arrangements by the Bopp Chapel.
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http://www.wwiimemorial.com/registry/search/pframe.asp?HonoreeID=417688& popcount=2&tcount=3
National WWII Memorial, Washington, D.C.   Registry~NARA~War Department Files   Honoree Hometown Service Source
James B. Fisher Jr. St. Louis, MO U.S. Army Mr. James B. Fisher   James B. Fisher Jr.   BRANCH OF SERVICE: U.S. Army  HOMETOWN: St. Louis, MO    HONORED BY: Mr. James B. Fisher, Son   
   ACTIVITY DURING WWII
1ST STATIONED IN NORTH AFRICA; LATER TO TARANTO, ITALY.  BOMBING, ELEUSIS AIRDROME, ATHENS, GREECE. WAS SHOT DOWN (B-25) AND TAKEN PRISONER OCTOBER 8, 1943. SPENT  REMAINDER OF WAR AS POW; REPATRIATED FEBRUARY 1945.