James
F. Finlay entered the Army Air Corps as a volunteer on 14
June 1941 at Barksdale Field in Bossier City, LA. After
the war began, he was transferred to Delgado Trade School
in New Orleans for engine mechanics training. Later that
year (1942), he was transferred to Columbus, Mississippi,
then to George Field (Lawrenceville, IL) in 1943 and later
to Champaign, IL. It was from there that he made his way
to Smoky Hill (Salina, KS).
James
Finlay married Dorothy Murphy on Feb 2, 1942 (Ground Hogs
Day). They have two sons (Jimmie and Paul), five grand
children and one great-grandson.
While
flight crew 29 was preparing to leave Guam, a group of
"high point" men were brought in. As a result,
on the day before Halloween, 1945, Capt. Ferrell told
my dad that he had been "bumped" from the flight
because he did not have enough points. However, when the
plane left the next day, other members of the flight crew
"stowed him away" and when he was mustered out
at Barksdale on November 14, had unofficially been AWOL
for a week. Fortunately, word had not reached the states.
Following
the war, dad went back to Cullen and went to work for
the United Gas Company and remained with them 36 years
until he retired (by then it was owned by Pennzoil). For
the last 20 years, his greatest joy was traveling about
the country (including a trip up the Al-Can to Alaska)
with my mom and other friends and family members in their
motor home.
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James
Finlay left
unknown friend
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Finlay
left and 2 other friends
Click image to enlarge |
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