Of My Flesh and Blood: James J. 'Jimmy' Sherman

James J Sherman

1925 - 1944

James J Sherman was born in Newburgh, NY on Jan 13, 1925.

He was the son of Florence and Joseph R Sherman. He was affectionately known as Jimmy. He was adored by his mother as he was her only child. His other brothers and sisters were from his father's earlier marriage.

1925 Jimmy's NYS Birth Index highlighted. Credit

When Jimmy was born his father was a chauffeur and his mother was a housewife with 2 older brothers and 1 older sister. They lived on Lander Street in Newburgh according to the New York Census.

194 Lander St, Newburgh NY in 2019. Credit: Google Earth

1925 NYS Census listing the Sherman Family on bottom/top of pages. Credit NYS

However, by 1930, the family still lived on Lander St, but at a different address than reported in 1925.

1930 US Census. The Shermans are still on Lander Street, but at a different number. Credit US Government

1930 House address where the Sherman's lived. This is in Aug 2019 from Google Earth.

Over this time, there was a few mentions on his mother, Florence Gauquie Sherman, and father, Joseph Sherman, visiting other family members. One is Florence's father, and my great grandfather, Jules.

1940 US Census. The Sherman's are now down to only Florence, Robert, and Jimmy. They are still living at the same address as reported in the 1930 census.

By 1940, Jimmy is alone at home with his parents. In 1930, it was reported he had another brother, Douglas, but I don't know what happened to him. His father is now a Truck Driver for construction work. Based upon the last few columns of the census, it sounds like his father was out of work for a time and was getting government support.

Growing up, he heard his mother worrying about the US being attacked and being in another war. Especially with reports of various U Boats being ready to attack NY City, she was worried. Many different people within the family have told me about how worried Great Aunt Florence was about being attacked. After all, there were the reports, pictures, and video in 1917 of them being there then so it would be just as easy to be there once again.

1942 Newspaper article about Uboats in NY and NJ. Credit

Another U-Boat around NY and NJ. Credit

Credit Youtube

Taking this into account, it wouldn't be very hard to put another one along the east coast of the US. This put fear into people, which is what my Great Aunt Florence had.

Anyhow, once Jimmy turned 18, he went to NY City on 8 March 1943, my mother's 4th birthday, to enlist.

His index of Army Enlistment records, shows he was not assigned to a branch, he was accepted in as a Private as he had 4 years of high school, and he was semi skilled as a chauffeur. He was also 92 inches, over 7 feet, tall and weighed 106 pounds. As my mother told me "He was very tall and skinny as hell." and I can agree with this due to the records.

Jimmy's enlistment transcription. Credit: Ancestry.com

He came home and told his parents. His mother, understandably, cried and asked him why.

His answer, when it came was a good one, "Because I want to make you safe, Ma, and I can this way."

I do not have any information about why he decided to go into the Air Force.

In May 1943, he went to basic training at Miami Beach, Florida, which was an Air Force Training Center, according to the Sherman papers. The Miami Training Center was closed in 1945. This even has a book written about it.

This is Jimmy Sherman. I believe this picture was taken between May-July 1943 when he was at the Miami Beach base. Credit: Sherman Papers

The full picture of the one above. Credit: Sherman Papers

By July 1943, he was in Lowry Field & Denver, Colorado base which had just opened to the US Air Force.

In August - September 1943, he went to Flexible Gunnery School in Ft. Myers, Florida. It was called Buckingham Army Airfield which was closed in 1945.

In October 1943, he was then in S alt Lake City, Utah which was known as Salt Lake City AAB/APT. Today, 2019, it is known as Salt Lake City International Airport.

Jimmy is the one circled above with the crew. Credit: Find a Grave

Between October 1943 and April 1944, he had leave, or vacation, after he was done with his training, and he came home to see his mother and his cousins.

My mother told me this story. The last time I saw him, he came late in the night after I was in bed. We had a special bond and spent a lot of time together. My grandmother let him in to see her. She was in her nightgown in bed when he came in.

He came over and sat on the bed and she climbed up on his lap. She asked him if he was going away again and he said yes, but he'd be back soon. He took off his wings and gave them to her. He told her to be good and he'd see her when he got back.

Jimmy's wings. Credit J. Fitzgerald

She climbed into bed. He tucked her in and gave her a kiss good night. Then left the house after.

In June 1944, my Great Aunt Florence wrote Jimmy at least 3 times. These were later found and the envelopes were marked "Missing".

Next she knew he was missing and the reports were he had died. My mother was 5 years old.

Great Aunt Florence was beside herself in grief. She went to church and to another church in NYC to have vigils in his honor in 1950.

Then my mother had a falling out with her family and never really spoke about them until just before I married in 1997. She brought out a set of wings and gave them to me. Jimmy's wings. These are the same ones he gave her when she was so young. These would be the something old in our wedding.

But what happened to Jimmy?
After things settled down with me moving from the US and getting married, then I set out to find out what happened to James 'Jimmy' Sherman.

I asked my mother, but all she knew was he went up in the airplane, he was in one of the small bubbles underneath of it, and it was either shot down or crashed in World War 2. They first listed him as Missing in Action (MIA), and later it was switched to Killed in Action (KIA). They don't know what happened beyond that.

1946 list with James J Sherman listed with DNB which is Died Non-Battle. Army personnel who died outside of combat areas. Credit: Fold 3

Apparently everything they had was MIA. They did start putting DNB but they didn't know what this was.

I had help of my husband's aunt, as she was into genealogy and I was just beginning. She helped me and was able to have someone find the report on what had happened to Jimmy.

Answers 54 years later - the tragedy of a training flight

He died in May 1944, which is why in June there were missing marks on his mother's mail to him. It wasn't until almost 1998, 54 years later, when we found out what had happened. It was a training exercise gone wrong and he couldn't get out of the airplane and went down with it.

Microfiche M1380 RG 92 Missing Air Crew Reports NOS. 16553-16555 Fiche 5965

His body was never recovered.

Over time, I've still done research on him as I was trying to find out more information to put that flesh on the bones of Jimmy.

I found his name on the local monument this past January 2019.

Also, I found his name, and entry, on a tablet in Florence American Cemetery and Memorial in Florence, Città Metropolitana di Firenze, Toscana, Italy. This is on Find A Grave.

Credit: Find a Grave

Also, I had found, in 2009, the USAF have papers on him called the Sherman Papers. They live in Miami Florida in University of South Florida Libraries in special collections. They contain several letters to and from him (I mentioned these above during the timeline) and his mother among other things. However, they will not release copies to me even though I am family. I can go, or hire someone to go, and take notes of information and take photocopies of select pages only. This directive came directly from the Director, which annoys me.

I could understand this if I was not directly related to Jimmy, to get this type of response, but a family member? Nope, not very happy at all with the response, but I will prevail.

I'm stubborn that way.