World War II Honoree

James Howard Darden

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Texhoma, Oklahoma

Honored By

Older Daughter

RECEIVED WINGS AT RANDOLPH FIELD, TEXAS. FLEW B-25 AIRCRAFT DURING U-BOAT CAMPAIGN OFF ATLANTIC COAST. FLEW B-24 AIRCRAFT OVERSEAS FROM BASES IN FRENCH MOROCCO AND TUNISIA IN NORTH AFRICA. BUILT 1,000 COMBAT OPERATIONAL HOURS IN ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE. CREDITED WITH ONE SUBMARINE SINKING, ONE DAMAGED AND ONE PROBABLE. FOR THIS RECORD, HE WAS AWARDED THE AMERICAN DEFENSE RIBBON WITH TWO BATTLE STARS, THE EUROPEAN THEATER RIBBON, THE AMERICAN THEATER RIBBON WITH ONE BATTLE STAR, THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, THE AIR MEDAL WITH THREE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS AND THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION. JOINED THE NEWLY FORMED 20TH AIR FORCE, TRAINED ON THE NEW B-29 SUPER FORTRESS. HIS SHIP WAS IN THE FIRST RAID OVER TOKYO AFTER THE DOOLITTLE RAID. ON DECEMBER 22, 1944 HE TOOK OFF IN HIS B-29 SUPER FORTRESS FOR A MISSION OVER NAGOYA, JAPAN. HE WAS DECLARED MISSING IN ACTION AND DECLARED DEAD A YEAR LATER.