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This officer has shown ability as a leader of his squadron on many offensive patrols. On one occasion while attacking a
Messerschmitt 109, he was himself attacked by six Heinkel 113's. He at once turned on the Heinkels destroying one and badly damaging a second before being compelled to break off the
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191:(DFC) from the King on 27 June when he was sent as an escort to protect six aircraft on a reconnaissance mission to the French port of St Valery. The three Hurricanes were attacked by three
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engagement owing to shortage of ammunition. The following day while leading a section of his squadron he sighted and attacked a large formation of
Heinkel III's and shot one down in flames.
179:. The squadron was soon in action after the outbreak of World War II and by the end of June 1940 Davies had already claimed six German aircraft shot down and two shared to become a
152:(1913 – 27 June 1940) was an American combat fighter pilot who was the first American-born airman to die in combat in World War II. Davies was shot down and killed on 27 June 1940.
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Although born in the United States, his family moved to Wales before the start of the war. As such, he appears in official records as being
British.
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for gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations in June 1940, and was due to be presented with the
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over the
English Channel; one of the Hurricanes escaped and one pilot bailed out into the sea, but Davies was killed.
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at
Runnymede for airmen with no known grave. The citation for the award of his DFC was published in the
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The Few: The
American "Knights of the Air" Who Risked Everything to Fight in the Battle of Britain
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Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in international waters
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Acting Flight
Lieutenant James William Elias DAVIES (37796).
435:American military personnel killed in World War II
420:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1940
405:Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II
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440:American Royal Air Force pilots of World War II
316:"Casualty details: Davies, James William Elias"
342:(Supplement). 20 February 1940. p. 1056.
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213:Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
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167:in 1936 and by 1939 was flying the
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445:Military personnel from New Jersey
400:Aviators killed by being shot down
320:Commonwealth War Graves Commission
302:Some references quote 25 June 1940
270:Johnson, David A. (January 1990).
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390:American World War II flying aces
16:American World War II flying ace
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249:. Da Capo Press. p. 276.
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362:. 28 June 1940. p. 3946.
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198:His name is inscribed on the
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189:Distinguished Flying Cross
144:James William Elias Davies
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37:Bernardsville, New Jersey
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415:Royal Air Force officers
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185:Mentioned in Despatches
171:monoplane fighter with
159:Royal Air Force service
136:Mentioned in Despatches
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193:Messerschmitt Bf 109s
80:Years of service
284:on 30 September 2007
243:(24 October 2006).
200:Air Forces Memorial
173:No. 79 Squadron RAF
112:No. 79 Squadron RAF
359:The London Gazette
339:The London Gazette
277:Air Force Magazine
163:Davies joined the
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92:Flight Lieutenant
51:(aged 26–27)
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286:. Retrieved
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122:World War II
118:Battles/wars
49:(1940-06-27)
47:27 June 1940
25:James Davies
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385:1940 deaths
380:1913 births
354:"No. 34884"
334:"No. 34795"
288:9 September
374:Categories
227:References
181:flying ace
60:Allegiance
183:. He was
83:1936–1940
68:Service/
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128:Awards
70:branch
39:, U.S.
103:37796
290:2008
251:ISBN
108:Unit
88:Rank
44:Died
34:1913
31:Born
175:at
149:DFC
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307:^
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