Sidney Sims (1919 - 1943)

Born 23 Aug 1919 in Rockcastle, Kentucky, USA

Died 26 Jul 1943 at age 23 in Wangerooge, Friesland, Niedersachsen, Germany

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Killed in Action

SSGT James Sims was Killed in Action during World War II.

SSGT James Sims served in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II
Service started:
Unit(s): B-17 "Black Jacker" 42-30279
Service ended: KIA Jul 26, 1943

Biography

Staff Sargent James Sims was born in Rockcastle, Kentucky in 1919 to John and Mae (Wilmott) Sims. His birth certificate lists his name as Sidney, but he appears to have went by James Sidney. He married a woman named Doshia Hall on December 7, 1940, it's unclear if they had children. He was a farmer in his civilian life. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 18 1942. In the Air Corps, he served as a Gunner on at least 3 different B-17s. The last B-17 that he served on was B-17 Black Jacker 42-30279. On July 26, 1943, The Black Jacker was flying in a mission to bomb Hannover, Germany, along with 20 other B-17s, when they came under attack by enemy aircraft, approximately 35 miles off the northwest coast of the East Frisian Islands. The Black Jacker took a lot of damage and 2nd Lt. Jack W Daniel Pilot tried to ditch it in the North Sea, just off the coast of Wangerooge Island, Holland (Now Germany). There were reports that it blew up in the air. There were 5 parachutes observed coming from this plane, and one crew reported that a boat blew up that may have picked some men up. 7 of the Black Jacker's crew were killed in action and 3 were captured as Prisoners of War.

James received a Purple Heart for his bravery in service to his country.

James is buried at Earlham Cemetery in Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana, where his body was interned on July 21, 1950, almost seven years after his death. His headstone lists his birth as 1920 but Kentucky Vital Records list it as 1919.

The 6 other men from B-17 Black Jacker 42-30279 that died July 26, 1943 were;

SSGT Warren E Brown Tail Gunner

SSGT Paul W Keefer Ball-Turret Gunner

2nd Lt. Robert E McCallum Navigator

2nd Lt. Harold R Cornwell Co-Pilot

SSGT Felix F Sanchez Waist Gunner

2nd Lt. John E McCarthy Bombardier

The 3 men from B-17 Black Jacker 42-30279 that were captured as POWs were;

2nd Lt. Jack W Daniel Pilot

SSGT Edwin A Buck Top-Turret Gunner

TSGT Wayne W Pringey Radio Operator

B-17 Black Jacker 42-30279 was a part of the 385th Bomb Group, as well as the 548th Bomb Squadron.

The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Brigadier General Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9 October 1943, during which only two out of one hundred B-17s were lost and all of the buildings on the site were damaged or destroyed. They won two Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, awarded to all 4th Bomb Wing Groups, was for accurately dropping their pay load on an aircraft factory at Regensburg, on 17 August 1943 and the Group's second was awarded after leading a difficult long-range mission to destroy an aircraft repair works at Zwickau, south-west Germany, on 12 May 1944.

James participated in the following 3 missions as a Waist Gunner;

Mission No. 1 – 17 July – Target Amsterdam – 21 a/c flown.

Led by Lt. Col. Vandevanter, 21 of our ships set out for Nazi works in Amsterdam early this morning, and 21 ships returned,some slightly damaged by flak. Unfortunately, a heavy overcast prevented dropping bombs on the target.

James was in the Picadilly Queen 42-30251 that day, and returned to base safely.

Mission No. 3 – 25 July – Target Warnemunde – 28 a/c flown.

The mission objective was the fighter plant at Warnemunde, near Rostock – and not far from Berlin. .Led by Lt. Col. Vandevanter,the bombs were salvoed but Col. Vandevanter wasn’t entirely satisfied, because was sure that the intended targets hit. Overcast entirely obscured the target again. Despite some helliaious flak and fighter opposition, all returned safely..

James was in the Suzanne 42-3294 that day, and returned to base safely.

Mission No. 4 – 26 July – Target Wesermunde – 21 a/c flown.

Three aircraft were lost. Duncan, 42-30281, ditched in the North Sea, all 10 were KIA, MACR 191A. Harris, 42-5895 also ditched in the North Sea, 4 were KIA, 6 POW’s, MACR 191B. (Major Springfield was flying in Lt. Harris* ship.) Daniel, 42-30279, Black Jacker, crashed in Germany, 7 KIA, 3 POW, MACR 191C. The targets were Hanover and Wesermunde. Led by Captain McDonald, 21 of Fortresses left for the mission. Unpredicted weather conditions – heavy clouds, etc – partially broke up the formation over the continent and there followed what some described as one of the worst and hardest aerial battles to date. Gunners claimed 15 fighters downed, 8 “probable” and 9 damaged.

James was in the Black Jacker 42-30279 that day, and failed to return to base. This was his last mission.

Sources

• "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27K7-9DR : 31 December 2021), James Sidney Sims and Doshia Hall, 07 Dec 1940; citing Wayne, Indiana, United States, Marriage License, Indiana Commission on Public Records, Indianapolis; FHL microfilm 007030278.

"United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMKH-DZL : 5 December 2014), James S Sims, enlisted 18 Jun 1942, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.

"Kentucky, Vital Record Indexes, 1911-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKHJ-LN5W : 11 February 2018), Sidney Sims, 23 Aug 1919; citing Birth, Rockcastle, Kentucky, United States, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort.

"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X41C-XHL : accessed 10 July 2022), Sidney Sims in household of John Sims, Richmond, Wayne, Indiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 46, sheet 23B, line 66, family 561, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 638; FHL microfilm 2,340,373.

1940 Federal Census Line Number 8 Sheet Letter A Sheet Number 4 Affiliate Publication Number T627

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/4259

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/112547

https://www.385thbga.com/records/database/

https://www.385thbga.com/records/index-mission-number-to-date-and-target-2/mission-summaries/

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/202840604/james-sidney-sims

https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=466340