Ogdesnburg Journal - Monday Dec 7, 1942
Sgt. James H. Akins, son of Supervisor and Mrs. John Lee Akins, Lisbon, lost his life in an airplane accident near Florence, Arizona, Friday, Dec. 4, his parents have been notified by the War Department.
Six or seven companions who were aboard an Army bomber flying on an Army mission out of Tucson, Arizona, also lost their lives it is understood.
Details of the tragedy are not known, the telegram from the War Department merely notifying Sgt. Akins' parents of his death while on duty. Supervisor Akins was informed by officers of his son's squadron this morning that the body will arrive in Ogdensburg Thursday morning.
Sgt. Akins, a graduate of Lisbon High School in 1939, was active in both basketball and baseball and received the school's varsity letters.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps Nov. 20, 1939 at Albany stating at that time he hoped to take advantage of the many opportunities offered enlisted men in learning a trade in the field of aviation.
He was selected to pursue a course in instruction in air mechanics at Roosevelt Aviation School, Roosevelt Field, Mineola, Long Island in February, 1940. The school was one of seven-civilian aviation schools selected by the government at that time to instruct airplane mechanics. It lasted six months and upon completion, Akins was returned to Mitchel Meld. He was one of 25 students selected from the Mitchel Field base for this course.
Subsequently he was transferred to Panama where he served one year and then spent eight months at Waller Field, Trinidad, B.W.I. with the Ninth Bombardment Group. He returned to this country several months ago and spent a furlough with his parents at Lisbon before reporting at an officers' training school in Texas. Following training at that school he was assigned to duty in Arizona and had qualified as a gunner, it is assumed he was assigned to that post when the ill-fated flight and subsequent crash occurred.
A letter received by The Journal in June, 1942, from First Lieut. Wilson A. Sparhawk, public relations officer at Waller Field, Trinidad, stated that young Akins had been selected as an aviation cadet and would be transferred and added that "The squadron feels that he will be of greater value in his new capacity as in the past he has shown to possess remarkable ability. We are going to miss his everlasting wit. We wish to extend our best wishes along with the people of Lisbon, N. Y."
Surviving Sgt. Akins are his parents, one brother, Oakley, who is a student at Clarkson College; two sisters, Helen and Eileen, who reside at home; and his grandmothers, Mrs. Laundrie and Mrs. Gordon Akins.
Sgt. James H. Akins, son of Supervisor and Mrs. John Lee Akins, Lisbon, lost his life in an airplane accident near Florence, Arizona, Friday, Dec. 4, his parents have been notified by the War Department.
Six or seven companions who were aboard an Army bomber flying on an Army mission out of Tucson, Arizona, also lost their lives it is understood.
Details of the tragedy are not known, the telegram from the War Department merely notifying Sgt. Akins' parents of his death while on duty. Supervisor Akins was informed by officers of his son's squadron this morning that the body will arrive in Ogdensburg Thursday morning.
Sgt. Akins, a graduate of Lisbon High School in 1939, was active in both basketball and baseball and received the school's varsity letters.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps Nov. 20, 1939 at Albany stating at that time he hoped to take advantage of the many opportunities offered enlisted men in learning a trade in the field of aviation.
He was selected to pursue a course in instruction in air mechanics at Roosevelt Aviation School, Roosevelt Field, Mineola, Long Island in February, 1940. The school was one of seven-civilian aviation schools selected by the government at that time to instruct airplane mechanics. It lasted six months and upon completion, Akins was returned to Mitchel Meld. He was one of 25 students selected from the Mitchel Field base for this course.
Subsequently he was transferred to Panama where he served one year and then spent eight months at Waller Field, Trinidad, B.W.I. with the Ninth Bombardment Group. He returned to this country several months ago and spent a furlough with his parents at Lisbon before reporting at an officers' training school in Texas. Following training at that school he was assigned to duty in Arizona and had qualified as a gunner, it is assumed he was assigned to that post when the ill-fated flight and subsequent crash occurred.
A letter received by The Journal in June, 1942, from First Lieut. Wilson A. Sparhawk, public relations officer at Waller Field, Trinidad, stated that young Akins had been selected as an aviation cadet and would be transferred and added that "The squadron feels that he will be of greater value in his new capacity as in the past he has shown to possess remarkable ability. We are going to miss his everlasting wit. We wish to extend our best wishes along with the people of Lisbon, N. Y."
Surviving Sgt. Akins are his parents, one brother, Oakley, who is a student at Clarkson College; two sisters, Helen and Eileen, who reside at home; and his grandmothers, Mrs. Laundrie and Mrs. Gordon Akins.
Ogdesnburg Journal - Monday Dec 7, 1942
Sgt. James H. Akins, son of Supervisor and Mrs. John Lee Akins, Lisbon, lost his life in an airplane accident near Florence, Arizona, Friday, Dec. 4, his parents have been notified by the War Department.
Six or seven companions who were aboard an Army bomber flying on an Army mission out of Tucson, Arizona, also lost their lives it is understood.
Details of the tragedy are not known, the telegram from the War Department merely notifying Sgt. Akins' parents of his death while on duty. Supervisor Akins was informed by officers of his son's squadron this morning that the body will arrive in Ogdensburg Thursday morning.
Sgt. Akins, a graduate of Lisbon High School in 1939, was active in both basketball and baseball and received the school's varsity letters.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps Nov. 20, 1939 at Albany stating at that time he hoped to take advantage of the many opportunities offered enlisted men in learning a trade in the field of aviation.
He was selected to pursue a course in instruction in air mechanics at Roosevelt Aviation School, Roosevelt Field, Mineola, Long Island in February, 1940. The school was one of seven-civilian aviation schools selected by the government at that time to instruct airplane mechanics. It lasted six months and upon completion, Akins was returned to Mitchel Meld. He was one of 25 students selected from the Mitchel Field base for this course.
Subsequently he was transferred to Panama where he served one year and then spent eight months at Waller Field, Trinidad, B.W.I. with the Ninth Bombardment Group. He returned to this country several months ago and spent a furlough with his parents at Lisbon before reporting at an officers' training school in Texas. Following training at that school he was assigned to duty in Arizona and had qualified as a gunner, it is assumed he was assigned to that post when the ill-fated flight and subsequent crash occurred.
A letter received by The Journal in June, 1942, from First Lieut. Wilson A. Sparhawk, public relations officer at Waller Field, Trinidad, stated that young Akins had been selected as an aviation cadet and would be transferred and added that "The squadron feels that he will be of greater value in his new capacity as in the past he has shown to possess remarkable ability. We are going to miss his everlasting wit. We wish to extend our best wishes along with the people of Lisbon, N. Y."
Surviving Sgt. Akins are his parents, one brother, Oakley, who is a student at Clarkson College; two sisters, Helen and Eileen, who reside at home; and his grandmothers, Mrs. Laundrie and Mrs. Gordon Akins.
Sgt. James H. Akins, son of Supervisor and Mrs. John Lee Akins, Lisbon, lost his life in an airplane accident near Florence, Arizona, Friday, Dec. 4, his parents have been notified by the War Department.
Six or seven companions who were aboard an Army bomber flying on an Army mission out of Tucson, Arizona, also lost their lives it is understood.
Details of the tragedy are not known, the telegram from the War Department merely notifying Sgt. Akins' parents of his death while on duty. Supervisor Akins was informed by officers of his son's squadron this morning that the body will arrive in Ogdensburg Thursday morning.
Sgt. Akins, a graduate of Lisbon High School in 1939, was active in both basketball and baseball and received the school's varsity letters.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps Nov. 20, 1939 at Albany stating at that time he hoped to take advantage of the many opportunities offered enlisted men in learning a trade in the field of aviation.
He was selected to pursue a course in instruction in air mechanics at Roosevelt Aviation School, Roosevelt Field, Mineola, Long Island in February, 1940. The school was one of seven-civilian aviation schools selected by the government at that time to instruct airplane mechanics. It lasted six months and upon completion, Akins was returned to Mitchel Meld. He was one of 25 students selected from the Mitchel Field base for this course.
Subsequently he was transferred to Panama where he served one year and then spent eight months at Waller Field, Trinidad, B.W.I. with the Ninth Bombardment Group. He returned to this country several months ago and spent a furlough with his parents at Lisbon before reporting at an officers' training school in Texas. Following training at that school he was assigned to duty in Arizona and had qualified as a gunner, it is assumed he was assigned to that post when the ill-fated flight and subsequent crash occurred.
A letter received by The Journal in June, 1942, from First Lieut. Wilson A. Sparhawk, public relations officer at Waller Field, Trinidad, stated that young Akins had been selected as an aviation cadet and would be transferred and added that "The squadron feels that he will be of greater value in his new capacity as in the past he has shown to possess remarkable ability. We are going to miss his everlasting wit. We wish to extend our best wishes along with the people of Lisbon, N. Y."
Surviving Sgt. Akins are his parents, one brother, Oakley, who is a student at Clarkson College; two sisters, Helen and Eileen, who reside at home; and his grandmothers, Mrs. Laundrie and Mrs. Gordon Akins.
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Sgt. 60th Squadron AAF 39th Bomber Group
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