James Lewis Jones, Blair, Nebraska

Born July 7, 1929

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Airman First Class, U.S. Air Force; Died while Prisoner of War; Died April 7, 1951 in Korea

Airman First Class Jones was a crew member of a B-29A Superfortress with the 371st Bomber Squadron, 307th Bomber Wing. On April 7, 1951, while on a bombing mission, his aircraft was attacked by two MiGs. It crashed about four miles off the North Korean coastline. He was taken Prisoner of War and died while a prisoner. Airman First Class Jones was awarded the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of war Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal and the National defense Service Medal.

Enterprise 19 April 1951

James L. Jones Missing

James L. Jones, a brother of Mrs. Hugh Moore of this city, is reported as missing. Jones enlisted in the service four years ago when but seventeen years of age. When his term of service was up he reenlisted for four years more.

In January he was sent to Okinawa as a gunner on a B-29. Nothing definite is known, the report being just missing.

Jones, James L

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Rank & Serial No. A/IC; AF 16226038

Orgn & Duty: 371st Bomb Sq, 307 Bomb Wg; Gunner

Acft Type & No.: B-29; 44-86268

Identifying Data: Birth Date: 7 July 1929; Race: Caucasian: Eyes: Hazel; Hair: brown; Height: 5’9”; Weight: 138 lbs.

The American Battle Monuments Commission June 4, 1993

PVT Teddy D. Jones 37479013; Plot G, Row 14, Grave 35; Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery; Henri-Chapelle, Belgium

A/2C James L. Jones; AF16226038; Korean War Tablets of the Missing; Honolulu Memorial; National Memorials Cemetery of the Pacific; Honolulu, Hawaii

Letter to Mrs. Elsie Moore, 2430 Yaeger St., Fremont, NE 68025 Dear Mrs. Moore:

Mr. Gayle Maine, Veterans Service Officer has contacted this Commission on your behalf as we administer the permanent American military cemeteries on foreign soil.

Your brother, Teddy, is interred in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery as indicated in the above caption. Information concerning the cemetery may be found on the tabbed pages of the enclosed World War II commemorative booklet. At the time of his death, October 3, 1944, PVT Jones was serving in the Infantry.

Your brother, James, was among those members of our Armed Forces of the Korean War who were Missing in Action, lost or buried at sea. In accordance with our government’s program of honoring the memory of our War Dead whose remains were not recovered or identified, A/2C Jones’ name was permanently inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing of the Honolulu Memorial, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~