NOTE: the photo is thought to be of Lt. Walling's B-24 Liberator aircrew (Lt. Callaghan is far right, standing row).

James Allen Callaghan was born on 29 September 1920 in Westchester, New York (the son of James G. and Mary Allen Callaghan). The family moved to Larchmont in 1922, and James grew up there. He attended Elementary School at St. Augustine School, and then went to Iona Prep School where he graduated in 1937.

He enlisted as a Private (ASN: 32511328) in the Army Air Forces on 24 September 1942 at Fort Jay on Governors Island in New York Harbor.

He was accepted into Aviation Cadet training, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant (ASN: O-699980).

Subsequently graduated from Navigation Training Class 43-15, and from Bombardier Training Class 44-03 at Roswell Army Air Field, New Mexico.

From April through September 1944, he underwent B-29 aircraft transition and combat crew training at Pratt Army Air Field, Kansas.

In November 1944, deployed to the Central Pacific Theatre of Operations and was assigned to 20th Air Force, XXI Bomber Command, 73rd Bomb Wing, 497th Bombardment Group, 871st Bomb Squadron stationed at Isley Field on Saipan in the Mariana Islands.

On 13 Dec 1944 his crew took-off at 1909hrs aboard "Dixie Darling" on a XXI BC weather strike mission (WSM #23A), but returned at 0950hrs on 14 Dec 1944 with engine trouble and without hitting the target.

On 18 December 1944, he flew as the Bombardier aboard a Boeing B-29 Superfortress nicknamed "Dixie Darling" (Serial #42-63413) Tail Code: A-Square-45.

It was one of 89 aircraft launched in a multi-group formation to bombard the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Company and Aircraft Engine Plants near Nagoya, Japan.

However approximately 80 nautical miles west of Iwo Jima, his aircraft was last sighted leaving the formation at a geographic location of 24 degrees +33 minutes North and 139 degrees +50 minutes East. Weather at the time was under-cast with a ceiling of 10,000 feet and less than 3 miles of visibility at sea level.

His aircraft never returned to Saipan and was presumed to have been forced to ditch due to mechanical problems. A routine sea search failed to reveal any trace of the plane or survivors.

NOTE: A-Square-45
The 497th BG, 871st Bomb Squadron was assigned tail code IDs: A-Square-41 thru A-Square-60. There were actually three B-29 aircraft assigned the A-SQ-45 tail code:

1). 42-63413 "Dixie Darlin" ditched 18 Dec 1944; Walling aircrew.

2). 42-24808 lost 25 Feb 1945; Barnes aircrew collided with Keith aircrew (A-SQ-44).

3). 44-83985 survived the war; Cardone aircrew.

James A Callaghan