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James Hardy Turner nacque il 27 novembre 1924 a Martin, contea di Weakley, Tennessee, figlio di Joe Smith Turner e Zilpha Dane Brown Turner. Diplomatosi alla Martin High School nel 1942, si arruolò poco dopo nell'Army Air Corps, presentandosi al servizio a Miami il 23 febbraio 1943.James Hardy Turner was born on 27 November 1924 in Martin, Weakley County, Tennessee, the son of Joe Smith Turner and Zilpha Dane Brown Turner. He graduated from Martin High School in 1942 and soon volunteered for the Army Air Corps, reporting for duty at Miami on 23 February 1943.James Hardy Turner wurde am 27. November 1924 in Martin, Weakley County, Tennessee, als Sohn von Joe Smith Turner und Zilpha Dane Brown Turner geboren. 1942 machte er seinen Abschluss an der Martin High School und meldete sich kurz darauf freiwillig zum Army Air Corps; am 23. Februar 1943 trat er in Miami seinen Dienst an.
Dopo l'addestramento all'Allegheny College e in diverse basi, partì per Foggia, in Italia, assegnato alla 15ª Air Force. Come marconista-mitragliere su un B-24 prese parte a numerose incursioni a lungo raggio su obiettivi tedeschi. Il 26 febbraio 1945 fu dichiarato disperso dal Dipartimento della Guerra.After training at Allegheny College and several bases, he shipped out to Foggia, Italy, with the 15th Air Force. As a radio-gunner on a B-24 he took part in many long-range raids on German targets. On 26 February 1945 he was reported missing in action by the War Department.Nach der Ausbildung am Allegheny College und auf mehreren Stützpunkten ging er nach Foggia, Italien, zur 15th Air Force. Als Funker-Schütze einer B-24 nahm er an zahlreichen Langstreckenangriffen auf deutsche Ziele teil. Am 26. Februar 1945 wurde er vom Kriegsministerium als vermisst gemeldet.
Secondo la madre, il pilota — unico a tornare — riferì che l'aereo fu colpito dalla contraerea presso Pontebba e che tutto il resto dell'equipaggio si lanciò. La famiglia ricevette le onorificenze alla memoria in una cerimonia militare alla base di Smyrna, presso Nashville, il 21 giugno 1946. James è sepolto nell'East Side Cemetery di Martin. Gli sopravvissero, oltre ai genitori, il fratello Joe Brown Turner, la sorella signora James C. Edney e il nipote Jimmy Edney.According to his mother, the pilot — the only one to return — said the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire near Pontebba and that all the rest of the crew bailed out. The family received his posthumous awards at a military ceremony at Smyrna Army Airbase, near Nashville, on 21 June 1946. James is buried at the East Side Cemetery in Martin. Besides his parents he was survived by his brother Joe Brown Turner, his sister Mrs James C. Edney, and a nephew, Jimmy Edney.Laut seiner Mutter berichtete der Pilot — der Einzige, der zurückkehrte —, das Flugzeug sei bei Pontebba von Flak getroffen worden und die übrige Besatzung sei abgesprungen. Die Familie erhielt seine posthumen Auszeichnungen bei einer Militärzeremonie auf der Smyrna Army Airbase bei Nashville am 21. Juni 1946. James ist auf dem East Side Cemetery in Martin bestattet. Neben seinen Eltern hinterließ er seinen Bruder Joe Brown Turner, seine Schwester Mrs. James C. Edney und einen Neffen, Jimmy Edney.
