World War II Honoree

James 'Jim' Baggs

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Savannah, Georgia

Honored By

G. Holcomb

SERVED AS COPILOT OF THE C-53 TRANSPORT PLANE TAKING 13 NURSES AND 13 MEDICS OF THE 807TH MEDICAL AIR EVACUATION TRANSPORT SQUADRON FROM CATANIA, SICILY TO BARI, ITALY. THE PLANE ENCOUNTERED BAD WEATHER AND WAS ATTACKED BY GERMAN FIGHTER AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT WAS FORCED TO CRASH LAND IN ALBANIA. THE FOUR MAN CREW AND 26 MEDICAL PERSONNEL WERE HELPED BY ALBANIAN PARTISANS TO EVADE CAPTURE BY THE GERMANS UNTIL THEY WERE RESCUED 52 DAYS LATER BY A MAJOR EFFORT OF AMERICAN AND BRITISH MILITARY FORCES.