James Hagan

[calhoon]

Hi my name is carole i am trying to trace my partners father who was an american serving in the USAAF in 1943. he was in the staffordshire area at the time probably yarnfield swynnerton or cold meece. I believe it was the 8th Air Force who were therebut cannot find what units were there maybe it was just a temporary camp before they were moved some where else.His name was JAMES HAGAN and that is all we know really. Have tried the usual sites with no luck . If anyone knows anything about the Americans in staffordshire and how i can find out where he was serving and what his job was in the usaaf i would be very grateful.

[hughar]

British archives have very little in the way of information about US troops who were here during WWII. The records you need will be in the USA, and without knowing his service number, rank and unit you are unlikely to get far.

Isn't there any of this information about James Hagan on your partner's birth certificate?

If he did not admit paternity, then the US authorities would not have been very helpful at the time. You can read about the problems and the US military's attitude in the book "Goodbye Picadilly - British War Brides in America" by Jenel Virden, which has a section on those who got left behind.

A Google Book Search for ("GI children" Virden) without the brackets will take you to a limited view of the book, where you can read some of the background on pages 95 and 96.

[Sue Mackay]

Looks like you have an uphill struggle if you don't know where he came from in the US. I looked at the US WW2 draft registrations on Ancestry and there were 75 James Hagans!! An approximate date of birth would help narrow things down, as would an idea of which State, as I have access to the 1930 US census, but there are 385 James Hagans!!!

[hughar]

Since my earlier message I have remembered a help group at http://www.gitrace.org/index.htm which includes a lot of information on American units and bases in the UK, and how to search in the USA.

If there is any problem with the link, just Google for 'gitrace'.

I hope it helps.

[calhoon]

hello sue thanks for your reply as regards james hagan age we think he was approx 25 in 1943 which would make his dob about 1918 butdo not know which state he came from think i have a hard job on my hands

[calhoon]

thanks for you replies i will try the site you mentioned

[calhoon]

thanks for the welcome i am finding members very helpful already

[pollux]

Carole - I understand that one of the USAF units that transited through Yarnfield was the 486th Bombardment Group (Heavy). If you go onto their site (www.486th.org) and do a search, you will find that a James W Hagan was a member of "Rohan's Crew" and flew a number of sorties in 1944.

Thankfully, t seems that he may have survived the war as his name does not appear in any of lists on that site of those killed or missing in action.

There's a page on the 486th site (http://www.486th.org/index4.htm) that gives links to other sites that may be able to help you further. I do hope you can get some good news! Please let us know how you get on!