James W. Cantrell, aged 23, was born on October 27, 1921. He was the son of James B. Cantrell and Katie J. Cantrell. He resided in Limestone County, Texas prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on February 22, 1943 in Lubbock, Texas. James served as a First Lieutenant and Co-Pilot on B-24J #44-41293, 425th Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-24J #44-41293 took off, with a crew of 5, from Lushien, China on a fuel hauling mission to Rupsi, India. After one radio contact they were not heard from nor seen again. This B-24 had actually crashed in the dense jungle high in the mountains south of Imphal, India where it was discovered in March, 1973.

Initially, he was listed as Missing in Action with an Administrative date of Death of Aug. 8, 1946. Following the war, the wreckage was located and his remains were recovered. He is interred in a group burial in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va. His name is permanently engraved on the Walls of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery. A "Rosette" was placed in front of his name at Manila to signify that his remains were recovered.

James was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov