World War II Honoree

Loyd Lamar Beacham, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Jackson, Mississippi

Honored By

Loyd Lamar Beacham, IV

CAPTAIN. WAS AN ARMY AIR CORPS PILOT. HE WAS STATIONED IN ITALY WITH THE 15TH AIR FORCE, 304TH WING, 455TH GROUP, 743RD SQUADRON, AND HE FLEW 52 ACCREDITED COMBAT SORTIES, WITH A TOTAL OF 228.5 COMBAT HOURS. ON ONE MISSION HIS LIBERATOR, CALLED 'HOME JAMES', WAS HIT BY ENEMY FIRE DAMAGING ONE ENGINE, SHATTERING THE HYDRAULIC AND OXYGEN CONNECTIONS, PUNCTURED FUEL TANKS AND WOUNDED TWO GUNNERS. HE WAS ABLE TO BRING HIS PLANE AND CREW HOME ON THREE ENGINES TO A PARACHUTE BRAKED LANDING. HE WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS IN 1944 FOR EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT IN AERIAL FLIGHT AS PILOT OF A B-24 AIRCRAFT. HE SERVED UNTIL 1946.