Lt. James D Zingg P38 Pilot

1st Lt. James D Zingg served in WWII as a P38 Fighter Pilot - Born Jan 19, 1924 Verona NJ - As a freshman on a football scholarship to Bucknell U, Zingg enlisted in the Army Air Corp and was called to active duty in April 1943. He trained in P39s at Selma, AL and P38s at Ontario CA. In the summer of 1944 he shipped out to Italy where he joined the 49th Squadron 14th Fighter Group based at the San Savero Airbase in Foggia. From Aug 1944 thru July 1945 he flew 50 missions piloting the powerful twin-engined P38 Lightning into Eastern Europe. These missions involved escorting Allied bombers to strategic targets in addition to strafe and and dive bomb runs destroying bridges, trains and factories. Zingg was credited with the single handed destruction of 10 enemy supply trains. He was discharged in Aug 1945 and decorated with the Air Medal with three bronze clusters, the American Campaign medal, European Campaign medal, WWII Victory medal and good conduct medal. After the war he returned to Bucknell where he graduated in 1948. He went on to a career as an executive in the Steel Industry. He married Marion Gumpert and they had three children; David, Kathy, James Jr. along with 5 grandsons. Zingg died Feb 28, 2010 and is buried in Chatham MA. Photo was taken in November 1944 at San Savero aboard his P38 Lighting.