1st Lt. James W. Carver Navigator B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2635

Background
James W. Carver was born October 16, 1920 to parents Pleasant Stell “Ples” Carver and Winnie Mae Musgrave Carver in Eagle Pass, Texas. He attended three years of college and worked in the oil industry.

Wartime History
On January 7, 1942 enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as an aviation cadet with serial number 18058725. Trained as a navigator he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-725946 then sent overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG), 30th Bombardment Squadron (30th BS) as a navigator.

Mission History
On November 1, 1942 in the early morning hours took off from 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby as navigator aboard B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2635 piloted by 1st Lt John S. Hancock armed with 1,000 pound bombs as one of six B-17s on a night mission to bomb Japanese shipping in Tonolei Harbor on southern Bougainville. Inbound to the target, the formation experienced bad weather. When this B-17 failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). In fact, this B-17 crashed into the northern side of a ridge line inland from Milne Bay.

Dog Tag
On February 24, 1999 a local hunter located a the crash site roughly eight hours walk from Nigila and Gopai, inland from Alotau at Milne Bay. Later, he reported the site to a Red Cross worker and took them to the site. Together, they discovered a watch, comb and the dog tag of James W. Carver.

JAMES W. CARVER O-725946    T42    A MRS.P.S. CARVER 543 FORD STREET EAGLE PASS, TEX

Relatives
Kathryn "Kay" Hansen Cunningham (niece of James W. Carver)
"He was the brother of my mother, June Carver Hansen. I was told that the painting on the airplane is a Red Devil. Everyone in our family is so very grateful for all the work that was done to bring my uncle and his crew mates home. I do have copies of a few of the letters he sent home. Thank you for your website and all the information in it."

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - James W. Carver
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James W. Carver "remains recovered"
Arlington National Cemetery (ANC Explorer) - James W. Carver (group burial Arlington photo)
FindAGrave - 1Lt James Walter “Scootie” Carver (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - Lieut James "Scootie" Walter Carver (grave Maverick County Cemetery photo, obituary)
FindAGrave - 1LT James Walter “Scootie” Carver (group burial Arlington photo)

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