James Russell Carlson was born in 1922. He resided in Alameda County, California prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on November 13, 1942 in San Francisco, California. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the building transportation equipment and also as Single, without dependents. James served as a Private First Class and Radio Operator on C-46 #41-24660, India-China Wing, Air Transport Command, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

C-46 #41-24660 took off from Sookerating, Burma on a mission to Yunnanyi, China. They were shot down by a Japanese aircraft. It is unknown where they crashed. James was declared "Missing In Action" on January 18, 1944 when his C-46 did not arrive at their destination. Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until January 16, 1946. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.

James was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is also 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