Brandon James Leonard

Monuments

Fallen Bombers in Médoc Information Boards

Fallen Bombers in Médoc Monument

Name:

James Leonard Brandon

Rank:

Second Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-671235

Unit:

339th Bomber Squadron, 96th Bomber Group

Date of Death:

2012-08-08

State:

North Carolina

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James Leonard Brandon was born on March 10, 1917, in Gaston County, North Carolina. He was the son of William Sylvester Brandon and Lula Pearl Wright Brandon. He was married to Louise Roach Brandon.

James served in the 339th Bomber Squadron, 96th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Navigator on the B-17 #42-37808 'Special Delivery' during World War II.

On January 5, 1944, his crew took off from Station 138 airfield in Snetterton Heath, England, for a mission to bomb the Bordeaux-Mérignac airfield in France. Shot down by fighters at 11:30 AM, they evacuated their plane by parachute. Their aircraft crashed near Lesparre-Medoc, France. Of the crew, five members were captured by the Germans and taken as prisoners. The five remaining members were able to evade the capture. 2Lt Brandon was one of the evadees.

Brandon achieved his highest rank in the military as First Lieutenant. He died on August 8, 2012, at the age of 95, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is now buried in the New Hope Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Gastonia, Gaston County, North Carolina.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net