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"The Jerrys liked to get the leader. It wasn't very good to be the leader because most of them got shot down."
See below for M. Coburn's entire testimony.
Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
![James Coburn's Royal Canadian Air Force identification card, issued in June of 1944, when he was 20 years old.]({"id":"29012cd2-272d-4586-ba33-c551a86660f0","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn","filename":"5643_538","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":41077,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-05-19T21:59:09.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-05-19T21:59:09.000000Z","title":"James Coburn's Royal Canadian Air Force identification card, issued in June of 1944, when he was 20 years old.","alt":"James Coburn's Royal Canadian Air Force identification card, issued in June of 1944, when he was 20 years old.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn\/5643_538.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn\/5643_538.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","pivot":{"mediable_id":"3a33eddd-dbe3-4b38-8020-6c0e8fbab26b","media_id":"29012cd2-272d-4586-ba33-c551a86660f0","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":1},"translations":[{"id":"38f41a65-5c3e-400f-9db4-e3e07e3c9197","media_id":"29012cd2-272d-4586-ba33-c551a86660f0","title":"James Coburn's Royal Canadian Air Force identification card, issued in June of 1944, when he was 20 years old.","alt":"James Coburn's Royal Canadian Air Force identification card, issued in June of 1944, when he was 20 years old.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn"},{"id":"5b159c21-ac8e-428b-b176-11896004acd1","media_id":"29012cd2-272d-4586-ba33-c551a86660f0","title":"Carte d'identit\u00e9 de James Coburn remise par les Forces Royales Canadiennes de l'Air (RCAF), en juin 1944, quand il avait 20 ans.","alt":"Carte d'identit\u00e9 de James Coburn remise par les Forces Royales Canadiennes de l'Air (RCAF), en juin 1944, quand il avait 20 ans.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de James V. Coburn","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de James V. Coburn"}]} "James Coburn's Royal Canadian Air Force identification card, issued in June of 1944, when he was 20 years old.")
![Framed set that includes a photo of James Coburn after D-Day, his Air Gunner operational wings and his medals.]({"id":"a9a1bdbd-cffb-4217-916c-cf83eaa3aea7","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn","filename":"5647_538","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":33832,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-05-19T21:59:09.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-05-19T21:59:09.000000Z","title":"Framed set that includes a photo of James Coburn after D-Day, his Air Gunner operational wings and his medals.","alt":"Framed set that includes a photo of James Coburn after D-Day, his Air Gunner operational wings and his medals.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn\/5647_538.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn\/5647_538.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","pivot":{"mediable_id":"3a33eddd-dbe3-4b38-8020-6c0e8fbab26b","media_id":"a9a1bdbd-cffb-4217-916c-cf83eaa3aea7","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":2},"translations":[{"id":"64f82bbc-8485-4cac-94e9-9b780141a132","media_id":"a9a1bdbd-cffb-4217-916c-cf83eaa3aea7","title":"Framed set that includes a photo of James Coburn after D-Day, his Air Gunner operational wings and his medals.","alt":"Framed set that includes a photo of James Coburn after D-Day, his Air Gunner operational wings and his medals.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn"},{"id":"34790eac-da39-47e1-807b-ab35f32804db","media_id":"a9a1bdbd-cffb-4217-916c-cf83eaa3aea7","title":"Cadre inlcuant une photo de James Coburn apr\u00e8s le Jour-J, ses ailes de tireur a\u00e9rien op\u00e9rationnel et ses m\u00e9dailles.","alt":"Cadre inlcuant une photo de James Coburn apr\u00e8s le Jour-J, ses ailes de tireur a\u00e9rien op\u00e9rationnel et ses m\u00e9dailles.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de James V. Coburn","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de James V. Coburn"}]} "Framed set that includes a photo of James Coburn after D-Day, his Air Gunner operational wings and his medals.")
![James Coburn's log book showing his operations over Falaise, France, on June 6, 1944.]({"id":"f8660eb5-063a-48c6-8aab-0f81a42ba430","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn","filename":"5644_538","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":59073,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-05-19T21:59:09.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-05-19T21:59:09.000000Z","title":"James Coburn's log book showing his operations over Falaise, France, on June 6, 1944.","alt":"James Coburn's log book showing his operations over Falaise, France, on June 6, 1944.","caption":"He attached a newspaper clipping describing how his crew hit the German Panzer Headquarters.","creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn\/5644_538.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn\/5644_538.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","pivot":{"mediable_id":"3a33eddd-dbe3-4b38-8020-6c0e8fbab26b","media_id":"f8660eb5-063a-48c6-8aab-0f81a42ba430","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":3},"translations":[{"id":"f030ba87-ac81-42fb-80f5-2cc94aa82eca","media_id":"f8660eb5-063a-48c6-8aab-0f81a42ba430","title":"James Coburn's log book showing his operations over Falaise, France, on June 6, 1944.","alt":"James Coburn's log book showing his operations over Falaise, France, on June 6, 1944.","caption":"He attached a newspaper clipping describing how his crew hit the German Panzer Headquarters.","creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn"},{"id":"d8374489-3def-4808-baf0-f1b95dcc7a12","media_id":"f8660eb5-063a-48c6-8aab-0f81a42ba430","title":"Journal de bord de James Coburn montrant ses op\u00e9rations au-dessus de Falaise, France, le 6 juin 1944.","alt":"Journal de bord de James Coburn montrant ses op\u00e9rations au-dessus de Falaise, France, le 6 juin 1944.","caption":"Il a joint un article de journal d\u00e9crivant comment son \u00e9quipage a frapp\u00e9 les quartiers g\u00e9n\u00e9raux allemands Panzer.","creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de James V. Coburn","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de James V. Coburn"}]} "James Coburn's log book showing his operations over Falaise, France, on June 6, 1944.")
![Map made of rice silk that every pilot carried with him in case they were shot down over enemy territory.]({"id":"305ac011-98a6-4e16-8982-5f89eb81b2e6","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn","filename":"5645_538","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":46770,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-05-19T21:59:09.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-05-19T21:59:09.000000Z","title":"Map made of rice silk that every pilot carried with him in case they were shot down over enemy territory.","alt":"Map made of rice silk that every pilot carried with him in case they were shot down over enemy territory.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn\/5645_538.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn\/5645_538.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","pivot":{"mediable_id":"3a33eddd-dbe3-4b38-8020-6c0e8fbab26b","media_id":"305ac011-98a6-4e16-8982-5f89eb81b2e6","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":4},"translations":[{"id":"7be5ee7e-c02c-4bf9-be20-02319b0d192a","media_id":"305ac011-98a6-4e16-8982-5f89eb81b2e6","title":"Map made of rice silk that every pilot carried with him in case they were shot down over enemy territory.","alt":"Map made of rice silk that every pilot carried with him in case they were shot down over enemy territory.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn"},{"id":"9e5ebd49-b7d6-4d41-b1f9-7d83279e4422","media_id":"305ac011-98a6-4e16-8982-5f89eb81b2e6","title":"Carte faite avec de la soie de riz que chaque pilote transportait avec lui au cas o\u00f9 ils soient descendus au-dessus du territoire ennemi.","alt":"Carte faite avec de la soie de riz que chaque pilote transportait avec lui au cas o\u00f9 ils soient descendus au-dessus du territoire ennemi.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de James V. Coburn","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de James V. Coburn"}]} "Map made of rice silk that every pilot carried with him in case they were shot down over enemy territory.")
![Newspaper clipping of James Coburn's brother's unit of Engineers in Britain in 1940.]({"id":"800da156-e748-46cd-becf-55a472056abb","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn","filename":"5646_538","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":41205,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-05-19T21:59:09.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-05-19T21:59:09.000000Z","title":"Newspaper clipping of James Coburn's brother's unit of Engineers in Britain in 1940.","alt":"Newspaper clipping of James Coburn's brother's unit of Engineers in Britain in 1940.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn\/5646_538.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/JamesVCoburn\/5646_538.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","pivot":{"mediable_id":"3a33eddd-dbe3-4b38-8020-6c0e8fbab26b","media_id":"800da156-e748-46cd-becf-55a472056abb","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":5},"translations":[{"id":"f6362b43-0098-4abb-9d80-0beacef0cb15","media_id":"800da156-e748-46cd-becf-55a472056abb","title":"Newspaper clipping of James Coburn's brother's unit of Engineers in Britain in 1940.","alt":"Newspaper clipping of James Coburn's brother's unit of Engineers in Britain in 1940.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of James V. Coburn"},{"id":"1a857836-d734-4a9c-b121-5d04d1481592","media_id":"800da156-e748-46cd-becf-55a472056abb","title":"Article de journal concernant l'unit\u00e9 d'ing\u00e9nieurs du fr\u00e8re de James Coburn, en Angleterre, en 1940.","alt":"Article de journal concernant l'unit\u00e9 d'ing\u00e9nieurs du fr\u00e8re de James Coburn, en Angleterre, en 1940.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de James V. Coburn","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de James V. Coburn"}]} "Newspaper clipping of James Coburn's brother's unit of Engineers in Britain in 1940.")
Transcript
My name is Jim Coburn, and I joined the Air Force in the summer of '42, and went to the Exhibition grounds on October the 6th, 1942. It seemed to me that all I did for about a year was go to school. After we graduated No. 9 Gunnery School, I went to Penfield Ridge, New Brunswick. Usually when you finish gunnery school you go overseas, but they sent a few of us to Penfield Ridge, New Brunswick. We crewed up and flew Ventura airplanes. They were something like a Hudson bomber. I met my pilot, and we stayed together for the rest of our first tour. They were training us for low-level bombing, and after Penfield Ridge, New Brunswick, we went home for leave, and then we showed up to Halifax. I don't quite remember how long we were at Halifax. We went to the boat on the twenty-something of November. At that time I had just turned nineteen. We were eight days going over on the Mauritania, and there were about six thousand of us on the boat. I even met a fellow on the boat who was my school chum at Agincourt. We landed in Liverpool and they met us at the boat. It was awful foggy because everybody burned coal there at that time. We had to go to a conversion unit. We converted from Venturas to Mitchells. After Finmere, Buckingham, we went to place called Dunsfold, Surrey, that was No. 2 Tactical Air Force. There were four squadrons. There was the 98, 180, 226 and 320. We were 180 Squadron. To have that many… they had to get ninety-six planes. Everybody was talking about flak, and we didn't know. But after you made your first trip, you didn't want to see any more flak! I did thirty-eight trips over Europe. Our wireless operator got shot up, but I couldn't figure why every month, he used to have our logbook signed by the squadron leader. And every time, it would be a different guy. With ninety-six planes and they were the leader… the Jerrys liked to get the leader. It wasn't very good to be the leader because most of them got shot down.
