S/Sgt. James P. Madsen Jr.

Born: 4 September 1924 - Leyden Township, Cook County, Illinois

Parents: James P. Madsen Sr. & Helen Madsen

Siblings: 1 sister

Home:

    - 1730 North Seventy-Ninth Avenue - Elmwood Park, Illinois

Education:

    - Concordia High School, River Forest, Illinois

    - Proviso Township High School

        - Class of 1944

            - left before class graduated - 29 May 42

Occupation: cook

Wife: Thelma E. Madsen

Enlisted:

    - U.S. Army Air Corps 

        - 26 October 1942 - Chicago, Illinois

Serial Number: 16144800

Training: Unknown

Unit: 

    - 32nd Bomb Squadron, 301st Bomber Group (Heavy), 15th Air Force

        - member of a B17 bomber crew

Engagements:

    - 2 November 1943 - began operations

    - planes flew out of Pantanella Airfield

Bombing Missions:

   - Flew missions over these countries

         - Tunisia, North Africa - November 1943

               - assigned to his unit while it was on rest & relaxation

          - Italy

               - Unit relocated during December 1943

Killed in Action:

    - 25 December 1943 -over Italy

       - plane shot down during mission to destroy a bridge

Buried: 

    - Florence American Cemetery, Via Cassia, Italy

        -Plot:  G  Row:  9  Grave:  2

Medals:

    - Purple Heart

    - Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Return to Proviso War Dead