Perry James Hagan

Name:

James Hagan Perry

Rank:

First Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-1578963

Unit:

359th Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group

Date of Death:

1944-09-18

State:

Kentucky

Cemetery:

Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands

Plot:

G-43SE-3

Row:

3

Grave:

17

Decoration:

Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart

Comments:

James Hagan Perry was born on April 7, 1918, in Louisville, Kentucky. He was the son of William A Perry and Mary Joe Hagan Perry.

James served in the 359th Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group, as a First Lieutenant and Pilot of the P-47 #43-25530 at the time of his death. He was Killed in Action on September 18, 1944, in Holland.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS - Statement from 1st Lt Rolfe L. Chickering, O-816995, 359th FS, on the mission of 18 September 1944, F.O. #578, from which Lt Perry did not return. Lt Perry is being reported missing in action:
"I was flying White Three and Lt Perry was flying My Wing. We were circling the area at 2500 feet looking for flak positions. Lt Perry called on the R/T and said that he had been hit by flak and was going to have to belly land. I could see oil and black smoke coming from his engine. He headed for some small fields but apparently they were too small and he made a left turn. By this time he had lost his altitude and speed and the plane hit in a grove of trees. As it hit the trees, the plane cartwheeled and blew up."

1Lt Perry is now buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov, www.americanairmuseum.com