James Austin Shettles was born on November 13, 1919, in Union County, Mississippi. He was the son of David Lee Shettles and Lula Grisham Shettles. He was married to Mildred E. Hall Johnson. He served in the 451st Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium, as a Second Lieutenant and Pilot of B-26 Marauder #43-34422 during World War II.

On March 18, 1945, the aircraft was involved in a fatal mid-air collision near airfield A-61 at Beauvais-Tillé in the Oise department of France. The aircraft had taken off from A-61 on a mission targeting roads in Germany. At approximately 08:50, during the process of forming up with other aircraft, a piloting error caused it to collide with another B-26, serial number 43-34409. The impact led to the crash of both planes near the airfield.

2Lt Shettles was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Ingomar Cemetery, Ingomar, Union County, Mississippi, USA.

Source of information: http://francecrashes39-45.net/