Baumgardner, James W. 1918 - 1992

BAUMGARDNER, FAULKNER

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, volunteer (email)
Date: 8/18/2010 at 15:04:29

James W. Baumgardner

James W. Baumgardner, 74, of Laguna Hills, Calif., died Feb. 19, 1992 after a short illness.

Funeral services were held Feb. 24 in Santa Ana, Calif.

Mr. Baumgardner was born Nov. 11, 1918 in Washington, Pa. He graduated from Washington High School. He entered the airforce Jan. 14, 1941, where he served as a radio operator/mechanic gunner on a B-17 bomber. He was imprisoned at the Luftvaffe prison camp in Germany from May 12, 1944 to May 1945. He received many ribbons, conduct medal and Purple Heart. He was injured when his B-17 crashed over Siegan, Germany May 12, 1944. The accident claimed the lives of half of the crew members. Following his discharge from the service, Mr. Baumgardner attended W & J. College in Washington, Pa., graduating with a BA degree. He worked for Aetna Insurance Co. in Pennsylvania, and was transferred to Los Angeles, Calif., where he worked 27 years. He retired in 1979. He married Dorothy Faulkner, a former Akron area resident, July 12, 1959.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy of Laguna Hills; a son, William, a daughter and her husband, Jan and Cliff Snydner; and three grandsons. Mr. Baumgardner was a brother-in- law of Mrs. Bonnie Hartmann and Bill Faulkner, both of Akron.

Akron Register Tribune
Thursday, March 5, 1992
Akron, Iowa