James Edward Hoffman, Jr. was born on
21 October 1922, in Dauphin County,
Pennsylvania, the son of James Edward
Hoffman, Sr. and Bertha M. Hoffman.
Raised in Dauphin County, James
completed 4 years of High School.

On 29 August 1942, James E. Hoffman,
Jr. enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps,
was sent for training, and became a
Fighter Plane Pilot. He was assigned
to the 12th Air Force; 52nd Fighter
Group; 2nd Fighter Squadron; and
was stationed in the Mediterranean
Theater of Operations.

The 52nd Fighter Group was Assigned
first to the Twelfth Air Force flying British
Spitfires and later (after May 1944) the
Group was assigned to the Fifteenth
Air Force. The 52nd Fighter Group served
in combat in the Mediterranean theater
until the end of the war.

The Fighter Group flew escort, patrol, strafing,
and reconnaissance missions to help defeat
Axis forces in Tunisia. They took part in
the conquest of Sicily, Attacking railroads,
highways, bridges, coastal shipping,
and other targets to support the Allied
operations in Italy.

The 52nd Fighter Group Converted to
P-51's during Apr-May 1944 and afterwards engaged primarily in escorting bombers
that attacked objectives in Italy, France,
Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria,
Hungary, Rumania, and Yugoslavia.

The Group received a Distinguished Unit
Citation for a mission on 9 June 1944
when the group protected bombers
that struck aircraft factories,
communications centers, and supply
lines in Germany. In addition to escorting
bombers of the Fifteenth Air Force, the
group made strafing attacks on important
targets in Italy, France, centralEurope, and the Balkans.



The Group Returned to the US in Aug
1945, and was Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945.

As a Fighter Pilot, Lt. Hoffman attained
ACE Status, with his 5th KILL, shooting
down an enemy aircraft, while engaged
in aerial combat. His total reached 6 and
a half Kills, as he and another Fighter
Pilot shared the credit on one of the Kills.

On 22 August 1944, 1st Lieutenant
James Edward Hoffman, Jr. was
Killed In Action. His remains were
returned to the United States, and
he is buried in Rolling Green Cemetery,
in Camp Hill, Cumberland County,
Pennsylvania.

Source: Find a Grave