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Brigadier General James M. Stewart, USAFR (RET)    

On Mar. 22, 1941, Jimmy Stewart was drafted into the U.S. Armed Forces. He was assigned to the Army Air Corps as an enlisted man and stationed at Moffett Field, Cal. During his nine months of training at that base, he also took extension courses with the idea of obtaining a commission. He completed the courses and was awaiting the results when Pearl Harbor took place. A month later he received his commission and, because he had logged over 400 hours as a civilian, he was permitted to take basic flight training at Moffett and received his pilot wings. During the next nine months, he instructed in AT-6, AT-9, and B-17 aircraft and flew bombardiers in the training school at Albuquerque, N. Mex. In the fall of 1943, Stewart went to England as Commanding Officer of the 703d Bomb Squadron, equipped with B-24s.

He began flying combat missions and on Mar. 31, 1944 was appointed Operations Officer of the 453d Bomb Group and, subsequently, Chief of Staff of the 2d Combat wing, 2d Air Division of the 8th Air Force. Stewart ended the war with 20 combat missions. He remained in the USAF Reserve and was promoted to Brigadier General on Jul. 23, 1959. He retired on May 31, 1968.

Talking over the final details of a mission prior to takeoff.

Type A-2 jacket worn by the donor during WW II including the period he flew B-24 combat missions over Europe from his base in England.
Donated by Brig. Gen. James M. Stewart, USAFR (RET), Beverly Hills, CA.

Maj. Jimmy Stewart confers with a B-24 crew member.

Lt. Gen. Valin, Chief of Staff, French Air Force, awarding Croix De Guerre with palm to Col. Stewart for exceptional services in the liberation.

Brig. Gen. James M. Stewart, USAF Reserve