James Paul Naughton was born in Montana on February 4, 1924. He was the youngest of six children of Richard Matthew Naughton (17 Feb 1884 – 9 Apr 1934) and Johanna R. (Ryan) Naughton (21 Nov 1889 – 29 Nov 1977), who were born in Missouri. His parents married about 1910, and by 1918 lived at Gilman, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, where his father worked as a 'ditch rider' for the Reclamation Service of the U.S. Government. In 1930 the family lived near Cascade, Cascade County, Montana (close to Great Falls, Montana), and his father worked as a road construction contractor. His father died in 1934, and by 1935 the family lived on County Road in New Deal, Valley County, Montana. He completed four years of high school and worked as a paymaster, payroll clerk, and timekeeper. He was single, without dependents, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Pendleton Field, Oregon on December 13, 1942. His wartime home of record was Hermiston, Umatilla County, Oregon. After enlisting, he married Barbara L. (Connor) Naughton, and had a son, James Leslie Naughton.
After training, he was assigned as tail gunner on the heavy bomber crew of Lt William J. Waldron. The Waldron crew completed B-17 operational training at Ardmore, Oklahom, and was assigned to the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group (Heavy) at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. The crew arrived at Station 137 by October 19, 1944, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.
S/Sgt Naughton and five of his crew mates were killed in action on December 24, 1944, when their aircraft, B-17G 43-38926, was shot down by German fighters south of Liege, Belgium. Three men were blown clear and survived when the aircraft exploded in the air. The B-17 crashed near Rouvreux, Belgium, about 15 miles south of Liege.
S/Sgt Naughton's is now buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Great Falls, Montana.
B-17G 43-38926 crew:
• Waldron, William J – 2/Lt – Pilot – Safe
• Eshleman, Oscar F – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Shuster, Joseph S – F/O – Navigator – KIA
• Neu, Russell C – 2/Lt – Bombardier – Safe
• Andrew, Benedict A – S/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
• Ferenchak, George J – S/Sgt – Radio operator – KIA
• Baganz, Reuben F – S/Sgt – Ball turret gunner – KIA
• Isley, Eugene S – S/Sgt – Waist gunner – Safe
• Naughton, James P – S/Sgt – Tail gunner – KIA
Source of information: Paul Webber, www.findagrave.com