James Clayton Rivers was born on August 26, 1924, in Lexington, Kentucky. He was the son of Bessie Rivers of Pomona, California.

James served in the 849th Bomber Squadron, 490th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on the B-17 #43-38046 during World War II. He was Killed in Action on March 17, 1945, in a mid-air collision with another B-17 (serial #43-38071). As a result, all members of his crew were killed, and their plane crashed in Karnberg, Germany. The other B-17's crew were all safe.

SSgt Rivers is now buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.

B-17 43-38046 crew:
Pilot - 1LT Arthur Stern
Co-Pilot - F/O Clifton W. Nippert
Navigator - 2LT Edmund M. De Wahl
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner - S/SGT James C. Rivers
Radio Operator - SGT George V. Devlin
Ball Turret Gunner - SGT John B. Terry, Jr.
Waist Gunner - SGT Jimmie R. Heathman
Tail Gunner - SGT Edward C. Holdren
Togglier - SGT Willard B. Fay