James W. Smith was born on November 24, 1915. He served in the 468th Bombardment Group as a First Lieutenant and was aboard B-29 #42-6389 "Party Girl" plane when he died. He died on December 7, 1944 on a mission to the Mukden aircraft factory from forward base in Pengshan, China. The plane he was in hit a mountain after the Mukden raid. He is now buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA.

The official report:
Failed to return from the mission and was contacted 1 hour and 15 minutes from A-7 (Pengshan). The element leader contacted 42-6389 and told Aircraft Commander Lt. Lyons to break up formation in order to start descent through the undercast. 42-6389 answered back and started a 360-degree turn, which is normal procedure for aircraft flying in the #3 position. The element leader started a descend into the undercast but upon finding that ice was beginning to form on the wings very quickly decided to climb above the undercast and make a quick descent in the general area of A-7. 42-6389 was never seen again after starting the 360-degree turn.

1Lt Smith 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