Of the 16 million Americans who fought in WWII, more than 400,000 died in battle, and 72,766 are still missing
The remains of a former P-47 Thunderbolt pilot who was then stationed with the 57th Fighter Group’s 66th Fighter Squadron has been discovered and identified.
Second Lt. James R. Lord, 20, has been missing in action since his plane crashed on August 10, 1944, close to the coast of Anghione, Corsica, while he was engaging enemy gun emplacements in the Savona region of northwest Italy, as stated by Daniel Weaton, 57th WG in the article Missing 57th FG pilot from World War II found.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Underwater Recovery Team conducted recovery operations in the seas thought to be the crash site during the summer of 2018 while aboard the French Navy Vessel BBPD PLUTON. This came after information from local Corsican diver Franck Allegrini-Semollini, who discovered the wreckage of two P-47s in 2012. The U.S. and French members of the DPAA team excavated 150 square feet of seafloor remains and discovered human remains, airplane wreckage, and personal effects.
Officials have added a rosette next to the name of the Lord, who is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery in Impruneta, Italy, to show the Lord’s positive identification.
The P-40 Warhawk was flown by the 57th Pursuit Group, which was established at Mitchel Field, New York, in January 1941. It was used to defend the American East Coast. Before embarking on combat operations in North Africa in July 1942, the units were renamed the 57th Fighter Group and fighter squadrons. The P-47 flying unit relocated to Italy in July 1943 to aid the British Eighth Army in WWII.
Of the 16 million Americans who fought in WWII, more than 400,000 died in battle, and 72,766 are still missing. 24 members of the 57th Fighter Group are among the missing.
Those of the 64th FS include:
1st Lt William S. Beck
2nd Lt John R. Chiasson
Capt Marvin E. Lancaster
2nd Lt Loyst M. Towner
Those of the 65th FS include:
1st Lt Truman L. Allen
2nd Lt Clair A. Bigelow
1st Lt Robert S. Blakely
2nd Lt Leonard R. Hadley
1st Lt James W. Hart Jr.
1st Lt George C. Lovato
2nd Lt Joseph T. Markham
1st Lt Harold T. Monahan
1st Lt William J. Randall
Capt Marshall Sneed
1st Lt William E. Taylor
Those of the 66th FS include:
2nd Lt Hugh G. Barlow
2nd Lt Herbert M. Cohn
1st Lt David F. Coughlin
1st Lt Thomas D. Davis Jr.
2nd Lt Harry D. Duncan
Capt Roy C. Emerson
Flight Officer Walter G. McCollum
2nd Lt Cecil M. McMillan Jr.
1st Lt William B. Williams
Photo by U.S. Air Force
