Sergeant James Robinson 'Jim' Glenn, Army serial number 34031257, was born at York County, South Carolina on September 3, 1919. He was the youngest of five children of William Haywood (or Haygood) 'Will' Glenn (1 Mar 1880 – 8 Feb 1948), who was born at Clover, York County, South Carolina; and Lola (Robinson) Glenn (16 Feb 1883 – 29 Aug 1936), who was born at Gastonia, Gaston County, North Carolina. His parents married at Gastonia, North Carolina on December 24, 1906. His father was a farmer. In 1918 the family lived on a farm at Clover, York County, South Carolina. In 1925 the family moved to South Point Township, Gaston County, North Carolina, where he worked on his father's farm. His mother died in 1936.
His siblings were Martha Sue (Glenn) Wilson (1907 – 1995), William Harry Glenn (1910 – 1970), Margaret (Glenn) Riddle (1914 – 1985), and Frances Elizabeth (Glenn) Thompson (1918 – 1992).
He completed three years of high school at Gastonia High School, and registered for the draft at Gaston County, North Carolina on October 16, 1940. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 145 pounds, and had blue eyes and brown hair. At that time he lived with his brother William on Route 3 in Gastonia, North Carolina. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on March 14, 1941. He married after enlisting. His wife was Rebecca Livingston (Wilson) Glenn (later Wolfe) (21 Sep 1919 – 12 Mar 1974), who lived on Route 3, Gastonia, North Carolina, his home of record. They had a son, James Wilson Glenn (30 Apr 1944 – 10 Nov 1952), who succumbed to poliomyelitis at age 8. Rebecca Glenn married James Henry Wolfe in 1953.
He completed Army Air Forces aerial gunnery training, and was assigned as ball turret gunner on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Joseph S. Van Dyke in the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. He was assigned to the Van Dyke crew after mid-April 1944, when the crew arrived in England. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. Here is Lt Van Dyke's crew roster on June 23, 1944:
B-24H 41-28822 – 836th Bomb Squadron
• Van Dyke, Joseph S – 2/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Thies, Merle J – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Zebora, Rudolph J – 2/Lt – Navigator – KIA
• Kraus, Leslie E – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Glenn, James R – Sgt – Ball Turret – KIA
• Crossley, Charles H – S/Sgt – Top Turret – KIA
• Spindler, William H – Sgt – Tail Turret – KIA
• Rupe, Bradford A – Sgt – Nose Turret – KIA
• Snead, John E – T/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
Sgt Glenn and his eight crewmates were killed in action on June 23, 1944 when their aircraft, B-24H 41-28822, was shot down near Brussels, Belgium after bombing an airfield at Juvincourt, France. The aircraft was hit by flak in the open bomb bay and exploded in the air. It fell in pieces in the meadow of Scheutbospark (Parc du Scheutbos) near the intersection of Kasterlindenstraat (Rue Kasterlinden) and Palokestraat (Rue Paloke), at approximately 50.8539°N, 4.2871°E. This is within the town limits of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek (Molenbeek-Saint-Jean), a western suburb of Brussels, Belgium.
He was buried initially at Evere Cemetery in Brussels, Belgium. After the war his remains were reinterred at Ardennes American Cemetery, Belgium, in Plot D, Row 33, Grave 7. There is another photo of his grave posted on the 487th Bomb Group website.
He has a cenotaph in the Glenn family plot at Union Presbyterian Cemetery in Gastonia, North Carolina.
A memorial to the Joseph S. Van Dyke crew was dedicated at Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Belgium on June 23, 2021. It is located near the crash site in the meadow of Scheutbos. The memorial was made possible through the efforts of Mario Baudewyns of Dilbeek, Belgium and officials of the municipality Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Belgium.
Sources:
1. 487th Bomb Group Association
2. 1930 US Census; North Carolina; Gaston County; South Point Township. Glenn, William H. Apr 1930 (his father)
3. 1940 US Census; North Carolina; Gaston County; South Point Township. Glenn, Wil H. 10 Apr 1940 (his father)
4. American Battle Monuments Commission (database incorrectly identifies his unit as 36th Bomber Squadron, 482nd Bomber Group, Heavy)
5. Baudewyns, Mario (in Dilbeek, Belgium). Personal communication about crash site of B-24 41-28822. May 2020 – Jun 2021
6. de Jong, Ivo. The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H). Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
7. Enlistment Record of James R. Glenn
8. Glenn, William Haygood (1880–1948) in Jeschawitz Family Tree at ancestry.com (his father)
9. Glenn, William Haywood (1880–1948) family tree at familysearch.org (his father)
10. Glenn, James Robinson (1919–1944) in Jones Family Tree at ancestry.com (him)
11. North Carolina Death Certificate of James Wilson Glenn (1944–1952) (his son)
12. North Carolina Death Certificate of William Haywood Glenn (1880–1948) (his father)
13. North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979. Marriage of Wm. H. Glenn and Lola Robinson at Gastonia, North Carolina on 24 Dec 1906 (his parents)
14. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 6263
15. U.S. Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949 (ancestry.com)
16. U.S. War Department. World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel. Washington, D.C., June 1946
17. U.S. World War II Draft Cards, Young Men, 1940–1947 (ancestry.com)
18. World War I Draft Registration of William Haywood Glenn. 12 Sep 1918 (his father)
Research by:
Paul Webber
Find A Grave member ID 47577572
His siblings were Martha Sue (Glenn) Wilson (1907 – 1995), William Harry Glenn (1910 – 1970), Margaret (Glenn) Riddle (1914 – 1985), and Frances Elizabeth (Glenn) Thompson (1918 – 1992).
He completed three years of high school at Gastonia High School, and registered for the draft at Gaston County, North Carolina on October 16, 1940. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 145 pounds, and had blue eyes and brown hair. At that time he lived with his brother William on Route 3 in Gastonia, North Carolina. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on March 14, 1941. He married after enlisting. His wife was Rebecca Livingston (Wilson) Glenn (later Wolfe) (21 Sep 1919 – 12 Mar 1974), who lived on Route 3, Gastonia, North Carolina, his home of record. They had a son, James Wilson Glenn (30 Apr 1944 – 10 Nov 1952), who succumbed to poliomyelitis at age 8. Rebecca Glenn married James Henry Wolfe in 1953.
He completed Army Air Forces aerial gunnery training, and was assigned as ball turret gunner on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Joseph S. Van Dyke in the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. He was assigned to the Van Dyke crew after mid-April 1944, when the crew arrived in England. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. Here is Lt Van Dyke's crew roster on June 23, 1944:
B-24H 41-28822 – 836th Bomb Squadron
• Van Dyke, Joseph S – 2/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Thies, Merle J – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Zebora, Rudolph J – 2/Lt – Navigator – KIA
• Kraus, Leslie E – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Glenn, James R – Sgt – Ball Turret – KIA
• Crossley, Charles H – S/Sgt – Top Turret – KIA
• Spindler, William H – Sgt – Tail Turret – KIA
• Rupe, Bradford A – Sgt – Nose Turret – KIA
• Snead, John E – T/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
Sgt Glenn and his eight crewmates were killed in action on June 23, 1944 when their aircraft, B-24H 41-28822, was shot down near Brussels, Belgium after bombing an airfield at Juvincourt, France. The aircraft was hit by flak in the open bomb bay and exploded in the air. It fell in pieces in the meadow of Scheutbospark (Parc du Scheutbos) near the intersection of Kasterlindenstraat (Rue Kasterlinden) and Palokestraat (Rue Paloke), at approximately 50.8539°N, 4.2871°E. This is within the town limits of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek (Molenbeek-Saint-Jean), a western suburb of Brussels, Belgium.
He was buried initially at Evere Cemetery in Brussels, Belgium. After the war his remains were reinterred at Ardennes American Cemetery, Belgium, in Plot D, Row 33, Grave 7. There is another photo of his grave posted on the 487th Bomb Group website.
He has a cenotaph in the Glenn family plot at Union Presbyterian Cemetery in Gastonia, North Carolina.
A memorial to the Joseph S. Van Dyke crew was dedicated at Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Belgium on June 23, 2021. It is located near the crash site in the meadow of Scheutbos. The memorial was made possible through the efforts of Mario Baudewyns of Dilbeek, Belgium and officials of the municipality Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Belgium.
Sources:
1. 487th Bomb Group Association
2. 1930 US Census; North Carolina; Gaston County; South Point Township. Glenn, William H. Apr 1930 (his father)
3. 1940 US Census; North Carolina; Gaston County; South Point Township. Glenn, Wil H. 10 Apr 1940 (his father)
4. American Battle Monuments Commission (database incorrectly identifies his unit as 36th Bomber Squadron, 482nd Bomber Group, Heavy)
5. Baudewyns, Mario (in Dilbeek, Belgium). Personal communication about crash site of B-24 41-28822. May 2020 – Jun 2021
6. de Jong, Ivo. The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H). Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
7. Enlistment Record of James R. Glenn
8. Glenn, William Haygood (1880–1948) in Jeschawitz Family Tree at ancestry.com (his father)
9. Glenn, William Haywood (1880–1948) family tree at familysearch.org (his father)
10. Glenn, James Robinson (1919–1944) in Jones Family Tree at ancestry.com (him)
11. North Carolina Death Certificate of James Wilson Glenn (1944–1952) (his son)
12. North Carolina Death Certificate of William Haywood Glenn (1880–1948) (his father)
13. North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979. Marriage of Wm. H. Glenn and Lola Robinson at Gastonia, North Carolina on 24 Dec 1906 (his parents)
14. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 6263
15. U.S. Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949 (ancestry.com)
16. U.S. War Department. World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel. Washington, D.C., June 1946
17. U.S. World War II Draft Cards, Young Men, 1940–1947 (ancestry.com)
18. World War I Draft Registration of William Haywood Glenn. 12 Sep 1918 (his father)
Research by:
Paul Webber
Find A Grave member ID 47577572
Sergeant James Robinson 'Jim' Glenn, Army serial number 34031257, was born at York County, South Carolina on September 3, 1919. He was the youngest of five children of William Haywood (or Haygood) 'Will' Glenn (1 Mar 1880 – 8 Feb 1948), who was born at Clover, York County, South Carolina; and Lola (Robinson) Glenn (16 Feb 1883 – 29 Aug 1936), who was born at Gastonia, Gaston County, North Carolina. His parents married at Gastonia, North Carolina on December 24, 1906. His father was a farmer. In 1918 the family lived on a farm at Clover, York County, South Carolina. In 1925 the family moved to South Point Township, Gaston County, North Carolina, where he worked on his father's farm. His mother died in 1936.
His siblings were Martha Sue (Glenn) Wilson (1907 – 1995), William Harry Glenn (1910 – 1970), Margaret (Glenn) Riddle (1914 – 1985), and Frances Elizabeth (Glenn) Thompson (1918 – 1992).
He completed three years of high school at Gastonia High School, and registered for the draft at Gaston County, North Carolina on October 16, 1940. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 145 pounds, and had blue eyes and brown hair. At that time he lived with his brother William on Route 3 in Gastonia, North Carolina. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on March 14, 1941. He married after enlisting. His wife was Rebecca Livingston (Wilson) Glenn (later Wolfe) (21 Sep 1919 – 12 Mar 1974), who lived on Route 3, Gastonia, North Carolina, his home of record. They had a son, James Wilson Glenn (30 Apr 1944 – 10 Nov 1952), who succumbed to poliomyelitis at age 8. Rebecca Glenn married James Henry Wolfe in 1953.
He completed Army Air Forces aerial gunnery training, and was assigned as ball turret gunner on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Joseph S. Van Dyke in the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. He was assigned to the Van Dyke crew after mid-April 1944, when the crew arrived in England. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. Here is Lt Van Dyke's crew roster on June 23, 1944:
B-24H 41-28822 – 836th Bomb Squadron
• Van Dyke, Joseph S – 2/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Thies, Merle J – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Zebora, Rudolph J – 2/Lt – Navigator – KIA
• Kraus, Leslie E – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Glenn, James R – Sgt – Ball Turret – KIA
• Crossley, Charles H – S/Sgt – Top Turret – KIA
• Spindler, William H – Sgt – Tail Turret – KIA
• Rupe, Bradford A – Sgt – Nose Turret – KIA
• Snead, John E – T/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
Sgt Glenn and his eight crewmates were killed in action on June 23, 1944 when their aircraft, B-24H 41-28822, was shot down near Brussels, Belgium after bombing an airfield at Juvincourt, France. The aircraft was hit by flak in the open bomb bay and exploded in the air. It fell in pieces in the meadow of Scheutbospark (Parc du Scheutbos) near the intersection of Kasterlindenstraat (Rue Kasterlinden) and Palokestraat (Rue Paloke), at approximately 50.8539°N, 4.2871°E. This is within the town limits of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek (Molenbeek-Saint-Jean), a western suburb of Brussels, Belgium.
He was buried initially at Evere Cemetery in Brussels, Belgium. After the war his remains were reinterred at Ardennes American Cemetery, Belgium, in Plot D, Row 33, Grave 7. There is another photo of his grave posted on the 487th Bomb Group website.
He has a cenotaph in the Glenn family plot at Union Presbyterian Cemetery in Gastonia, North Carolina.
A memorial to the Joseph S. Van Dyke crew was dedicated at Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Belgium on June 23, 2021. It is located near the crash site in the meadow of Scheutbos. The memorial was made possible through the efforts of Mario Baudewyns of Dilbeek, Belgium and officials of the municipality Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Belgium.
Sources:
1. 487th Bomb Group Association
2. 1930 US Census; North Carolina; Gaston County; South Point Township. Glenn, William H. Apr 1930 (his father)
3. 1940 US Census; North Carolina; Gaston County; South Point Township. Glenn, Wil H. 10 Apr 1940 (his father)
4. American Battle Monuments Commission (database incorrectly identifies his unit as 36th Bomber Squadron, 482nd Bomber Group, Heavy)
5. Baudewyns, Mario (in Dilbeek, Belgium). Personal communication about crash site of B-24 41-28822. May 2020 – Jun 2021
6. de Jong, Ivo. The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H). Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
7. Enlistment Record of James R. Glenn
8. Glenn, William Haygood (1880–1948) in Jeschawitz Family Tree at ancestry.com (his father)
9. Glenn, William Haywood (1880–1948) family tree at familysearch.org (his father)
10. Glenn, James Robinson (1919–1944) in Jones Family Tree at ancestry.com (him)
11. North Carolina Death Certificate of James Wilson Glenn (1944–1952) (his son)
12. North Carolina Death Certificate of William Haywood Glenn (1880–1948) (his father)
13. North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979. Marriage of Wm. H. Glenn and Lola Robinson at Gastonia, North Carolina on 24 Dec 1906 (his parents)
14. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 6263
15. U.S. Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949 (ancestry.com)
16. U.S. War Department. World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel. Washington, D.C., June 1946
17. U.S. World War II Draft Cards, Young Men, 1940–1947 (ancestry.com)
18. World War I Draft Registration of William Haywood Glenn. 12 Sep 1918 (his father)
Research by:
Paul Webber
Find A Grave member ID 47577572
His siblings were Martha Sue (Glenn) Wilson (1907 – 1995), William Harry Glenn (1910 – 1970), Margaret (Glenn) Riddle (1914 – 1985), and Frances Elizabeth (Glenn) Thompson (1918 – 1992).
He completed three years of high school at Gastonia High School, and registered for the draft at Gaston County, North Carolina on October 16, 1940. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 145 pounds, and had blue eyes and brown hair. At that time he lived with his brother William on Route 3 in Gastonia, North Carolina. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on March 14, 1941. He married after enlisting. His wife was Rebecca Livingston (Wilson) Glenn (later Wolfe) (21 Sep 1919 – 12 Mar 1974), who lived on Route 3, Gastonia, North Carolina, his home of record. They had a son, James Wilson Glenn (30 Apr 1944 – 10 Nov 1952), who succumbed to poliomyelitis at age 8. Rebecca Glenn married James Henry Wolfe in 1953.
He completed Army Air Forces aerial gunnery training, and was assigned as ball turret gunner on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Joseph S. Van Dyke in the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. He was assigned to the Van Dyke crew after mid-April 1944, when the crew arrived in England. The 487th Bomb Group was based at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. Here is Lt Van Dyke's crew roster on June 23, 1944:
B-24H 41-28822 – 836th Bomb Squadron
• Van Dyke, Joseph S – 2/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Thies, Merle J – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Zebora, Rudolph J – 2/Lt – Navigator – KIA
• Kraus, Leslie E – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Glenn, James R – Sgt – Ball Turret – KIA
• Crossley, Charles H – S/Sgt – Top Turret – KIA
• Spindler, William H – Sgt – Tail Turret – KIA
• Rupe, Bradford A – Sgt – Nose Turret – KIA
• Snead, John E – T/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
Sgt Glenn and his eight crewmates were killed in action on June 23, 1944 when their aircraft, B-24H 41-28822, was shot down near Brussels, Belgium after bombing an airfield at Juvincourt, France. The aircraft was hit by flak in the open bomb bay and exploded in the air. It fell in pieces in the meadow of Scheutbospark (Parc du Scheutbos) near the intersection of Kasterlindenstraat (Rue Kasterlinden) and Palokestraat (Rue Paloke), at approximately 50.8539°N, 4.2871°E. This is within the town limits of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek (Molenbeek-Saint-Jean), a western suburb of Brussels, Belgium.
He was buried initially at Evere Cemetery in Brussels, Belgium. After the war his remains were reinterred at Ardennes American Cemetery, Belgium, in Plot D, Row 33, Grave 7. There is another photo of his grave posted on the 487th Bomb Group website.
He has a cenotaph in the Glenn family plot at Union Presbyterian Cemetery in Gastonia, North Carolina.
A memorial to the Joseph S. Van Dyke crew was dedicated at Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Belgium on June 23, 2021. It is located near the crash site in the meadow of Scheutbos. The memorial was made possible through the efforts of Mario Baudewyns of Dilbeek, Belgium and officials of the municipality Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Belgium.
Sources:
1. 487th Bomb Group Association
2. 1930 US Census; North Carolina; Gaston County; South Point Township. Glenn, William H. Apr 1930 (his father)
3. 1940 US Census; North Carolina; Gaston County; South Point Township. Glenn, Wil H. 10 Apr 1940 (his father)
4. American Battle Monuments Commission (database incorrectly identifies his unit as 36th Bomber Squadron, 482nd Bomber Group, Heavy)
5. Baudewyns, Mario (in Dilbeek, Belgium). Personal communication about crash site of B-24 41-28822. May 2020 – Jun 2021
6. de Jong, Ivo. The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H). Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
7. Enlistment Record of James R. Glenn
8. Glenn, William Haygood (1880–1948) in Jeschawitz Family Tree at ancestry.com (his father)
9. Glenn, William Haywood (1880–1948) family tree at familysearch.org (his father)
10. Glenn, James Robinson (1919–1944) in Jones Family Tree at ancestry.com (him)
11. North Carolina Death Certificate of James Wilson Glenn (1944–1952) (his son)
12. North Carolina Death Certificate of William Haywood Glenn (1880–1948) (his father)
13. North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979. Marriage of Wm. H. Glenn and Lola Robinson at Gastonia, North Carolina on 24 Dec 1906 (his parents)
14. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 6263
15. U.S. Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949 (ancestry.com)
16. U.S. War Department. World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel. Washington, D.C., June 1946
17. U.S. World War II Draft Cards, Young Men, 1940–1947 (ancestry.com)
18. World War I Draft Registration of William Haywood Glenn. 12 Sep 1918 (his father)
Research by:
Paul Webber
Find A Grave member ID 47577572
Inscription
JAMES R. GLENN
SGT 836 BOMB SQ 487 BOMB GP (H)
NORTH CAROLINA JUNE 23 1944
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from North Carolina.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
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