Garland B. Jeffries was born on September 6, 1922 in Hart County, Kentucky. He was the son of Cecil Bryant Jeffries and Cecil Bryant Jeffries. He resided in Hart County, Kentucky prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on December 9, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a farmer and also as Single, without dependents. Garland served as a Staff Sergeant and Gunner on B-24J #42-100249, 425th Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
B-24J #42-100249 took off from Kunming, China on a sea sweep combat mission. They never were heard or seen again and are believed to have crashed at sea. However it was noted as a battle casuality and mentioned that they could have been victims of anti-aircraft fire. The entire crew of 11 were lost. Garland was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. He also has a cenotaph located in Horse Cave Municipal Cemetery, Horse Cave, Hart County, Kentucky.
Garland 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