World War II Honoree

James Hoeffel Elliott

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Denver, Colorado

Honored By

Joanne Rickard

Relationship

Sister

VOLUNTEERED AT AGE 21 IN 1942. ALREADY AN EXPERIENCED PILOT, SERVED IN THE MEDITERRANEAN AND THEN MOST OF THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC, ABOARD THE USS HORNET, USS LEXINGTON, USS ESSEX CV-9, AND USS YORKTOWN. FLEW MAINLY HELLCATS. AWARDED 2 DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSSES AND 5 AIR MEDALS. FOUGHT AT IWO JIMA, TULAGI, OKINAWA, SAIPAN, TOKYO, KYUSHU, TARAWA, AND KWAJALEIN. FLEW WITH THE 9TH FIGHTER SQUADRON IN THE PACIFIC THEATRE. KNOWN AS 'WHISPERING JIM' WHO WAS ALSO A PHOTO PILOT REPORTED TO 'ALWAYS BRING BACK THE PICS' DESPITE INTENSE ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE AND BARRAGE BALLOONS.