James Robinson “Jim” Glenn was born at York County, South Carolina on September 3, 1919. He was the youngest of five children of William Haywood (or Haygood) 'Will' Glenn (1 Mar 1880 – 8 Feb 1948), who was born at Clover, York County, South Carolina; and Lola (Robinson) Glenn (16 Feb 1883 – 29 Aug 1936), who was born at Gastonia, Gaston County, North Carolina. His parents married at Gastonia, North Carolina on December 24, 1906. His father was a farmer. In 1918 the family lived on a farm at Clover, York County, South Carolina. In 1925 the family moved to South Point Township, Gaston County, North Carolina, where he worked on his father's farm. His mother died in 1936.

His siblings were Martha Sue (Glenn) Wilson (24 Nov 1907 – 19 Feb 1995), William Harry Glenn (18 Feb 1910 – 23 Sep 1970), Margaret Glenn (abt 1915 – unk), and Frances E. Glenn (abt 1918 – unk).

He completed three years of high school at Gastonia High School, and registered for the draft at Gaston County, North Carolina on October 16, 1940. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 145 pounds, and had blue eyes and brown hair. At that time he lived with his brother William on Route 3 in Gastonia, North Carolina. He was single, without dependents, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on March 14, 1941. He married after enlisting. His wife was Rebecca Livingston (Wilson) Glenn (later Wolfe) (21 Sep 1919 – 12 Mar 1974), who lived on Route 3, Gastonia, North Carolina, his home of record. They had a son, James Wilson Glenn (30 Apr 1944 – 10 Nov 1952), who succumbed to poliomyelitis at age 11. Rebecca Glenn married James Henry Wolfe in 1953.

He completed Army Air Forces aerial gunnery training, and was assigned as ball turret gunner on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Joseph S. Van Dyke in the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. He was assigned to the Van Dyke crew after mid-April 1944, when the crew arrived in England. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.

Sgt Glenn and his eight crewmates were killed in action on June 23, 1944, when their aircraft, B-24H 41-28822, was shot down near Brussels, Belgium after bombing an airfield at Juvincourt, France. The aircraft was hit by flak in the open bomb bay and exploded in the air. It fell in pieces in the meadow of Scheutbos near the intersection of Kasterlindenstraat (Rue Kasterninden) and Palokestraat (Rue Paloke).

He was buried initially at Evere Cemetery in Brussels, Belgium. After the war his remains were reinterred at Ardennes American Cemetery, Belgium.

B-24H 41-28822 crew:
• Van Dyke, Joseph S – 2/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Thies, Merle J – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Zebora, Rudolph J – 2/Lt – Navigator – KIA
• Kraus, Leslie E – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Glenn, James R – Sgt – Ball Turret – KIA
• Crossley, Charles H – S/Sgt – Top Turret – KIA
• Spindler, William H – Sgt – Tail Turret – KIA
• Rupe, Bradford A – Sgt – Nose Turret – KIA
• Snead, John E – T/Sgt – Engineer – KIA

Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com