Warbird Information Exchange

I am trying to find out as much about this aircraft and pilot as possible. Does anyone have any information as to the disposition of the aircraft? Was it saved, parts saved, scrapped, to be restored etc.? I plan to ride in the Patriot Guard escort from the airport in Milwaukee to Green Bay, WI this Friday.
Thanks in advance for any information!
Jack
Outagamie County Judge John Des Jardins to escort uncle's remains home

The remains of James Des Jardins will be brought home next month by his nephew, Outagamie Judge John Des Jardins. The Army pilot died in World War II in Germany. / Submitted
Written by
Jim Collar
Post-Crescent staff writer
APPLETON — An Outagamie County judge said he’s honored to escort his uncle’s remains home nearly 68 years after the young Army pilot’s death in World War II.
“I’ve been getting goose bumps,” Judge John Des Jardins said. “I really am on cloud nine right now.”
Des Jardins of Appleton will leave for Pearl Harbor next week to escort home the remains of 2nd Lt. James A. Des Jardins of Green Bay, who died during a November 1944 aerial mission in Germany.
Last year, the judge was shocked to receive an email from a German official who announced crews discovered the wreckage of his uncle’s P-51 Mustang while dredging near the village of Einhausen. Military officials since confirmed the remains found with the aircraft were of James Des Jardins.
The family is planning an Oct. 14 memorial service at Green Bay’s Lyndahl Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until 12:45 p.m.
The community is invited to attend the service, which will include an honor guard, speeches from elected officials and a flyover of vintage military aircraft. A P-51 will be among those planes.
Since James Des Jardins’ friends have died, the family hopes the community will show its patriotism by attending the homecoming.
James Des Jardins will be buried at Fort Howard Memorial Park after the service. The procession will include World War II-era military vehicles.
John Des Jardins said the family hopes for an uplifting memorial.
“We’re going to try to make this more of a celebration for our armed forces and for our greatest generation,” he said.
The circumstances of young pilot’s death were largely a mystery for decades. John Des Jardins did some work to uncover the story.
In the early 1990s, he attended a reunion of the 360th Fighter Squadron and met those with whom his uncle served. Though no one seemed to remember their fallen comrade, John Des Jardins later received a diary entry by mail that provided some answers.
A typewritten copy of an entry, dated Nov. 20, 1944, specifically named James Des Jardins. “I saw him get hit by light flak and flame started coming out of his right wing,” the airman wrote. The Mustang crashed into a pond “with an enormous splash.” “I didn’t see any chute and I don’t think he got out,” the entry said.
World War II took a heavy toll on the Des Jardins family.
Earl Des Jardins, James’ brother, died just two months earlier. Earl, the pilot of a B-24 Liberator, crashed in the Alps of southern France.
John Des Jardins expects to return to Wisconsin with his uncle’s remains on Oct. 12. He is sad his father, who died last year, won’t see his brother return home but is grateful he was alive to learn of the discovery of the remains.
He hopes the memorial will pay tribute to the sacrifices his uncle — and hundreds of thousands of other men — made to preserve the nation’s freedom.
“We hope it’s going to be like Memorial Day and Veterans Day all in one,” he said.

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Always looking for P-51D parts.

Would anybody have a wartime photo of your uncle or his Mustang?

Do you have any more information, like s/n, F.G #, etc. the info posted here is pretty thin, as there surely was more than one P-51 downed over Germany in Nov. of 1944, even an MACR# would help I'm sort of surprised that if you are decendants of the Lt. you weren't offered or given a copy of the MACR to help explain the conclusions of the examiners.

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

Actually the name is enough to find the a/c and the MACR:
James A. Des Jardins, 2-nd Lt., O-830187, 356-th FG., 360-th FS., hit by light flak at 50 feet (sic!) at Nov. 25-th, 1944, 14:00, over Einhausen, 7 km south-east of Meiningen, Thuringia. There is a small railway station the fighters were strafing at that day with coordinates from Google Earth 50 32 N, 10 27 E.
P-51D-15, s/n 44-15133, was eventually coded PI-K, MACR 10472 from Nov. 25-th, 1944.

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Yves Marino

Hello All,
Sorry for any confusion, the pilot was not my uncle, no relation. I am planning to ride as part of a Patriot Guard escort for part of his journey home and I am just tring to learn more.
The Mustang was just dug up last year during a dredging project with the pilots remains still in it. I have found a couple of photos including one of the engine being lifted from the ground by a crane. I am curious as to what is happening with the remains of the aircraft. It seems these days some are restored, some displayed and kept as found and some scrapped. What I hope to find out is what has happened to the parts of the plane since June 2011 when it was dug up. A link to an article from the local Veterans Museum is here: http://www.wvmfoundation.com/media/news ... ct2011.pdf

Craig, there is a picture of him in the cockpit of his Mustang in the attached article. Thanks for the info you provided Catch 22!

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Always looking for P-51D parts.

Thanks for the reply TriangleP. Getting ready for the 3+ hour ride this morning, gonna be a bit chilly, its 28deg F right now. It's a very positive feeling being able to honor our heroes this way.
I would love to get the aircraft, in whatever condition it is in, back here in a museum. No offense to anyone in Europe, my thoughts are to honor the pilot and others like him here in the US.

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Always looking for P-51D parts.

It's never too late to remember and honor veterans who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice. No matter how long ago, what conflict and where, they can never be forgotten. They gave far too much of themselves to ensure our freedom and the lives many of us take for granted today. It only takes a few minutes to reflect on their selfless duty to their countries to realize just how lucky we really are to be able to live the way we do. There's a lot of terrible stuff going on in the world and if not for service members today and the veterans before them, we would feel potential harms way at levels hard to imagine. We are all lucky indeed for their service and sacrifices. Never forget them ever.

Jack (4RG.I.'s ... the WIX handle says it all) has been a driving force and one who has given of his time and efforts to honor one of our past fallen hero's. 360th Fighter Squadron 356th Fighter Group P-51D pilot 2nd Lt. James Des Jardins . I hope that Jack will see this post and share his experience with the Patriot Guard escort for Lt. Des Jardins. Although it took place a bit ago it can never be too late to once again share the experience.

Please take a few moments to read a very nice article here. Well worth a bit of your time. Although it seems to have been produced back in 2011 it still is a wonderful dedication to a fallen hero by his nephew.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/128162693.html

Continue to Rest in Peace Lt. Des Jardins, thank you so much.


2nd Lt. James Des Jardins (photo courtesy of the Des Jardins family)




360th Fighter Squadron 356th Fighter Group


Fitting tribute to 2nd Lt. James Des Jardins

Most of the photos below are of 356th FG, 360th FS P-51's.


360th FS P-51 'Judy' in center


P-51 Mustangs, (PI-W, serial number 44-15056) nicknamed 'Jackie' flown by Captain Jack W 'Wild Bill' Crump, (PI-L_) and (PI-Q)


A P-51 Mustang (PI-W) of the 356th Fighter Group in flight over England.


P-51 Mustangs of the 356th Fighter Group in flight during a combat mission over Germany.


P-51 Mustangs of the 356th Fighter Group in flight during a combat mission over Germany.


A P-51 Mustang (PI-M_) of the 356th Fighter Group in flight during a mission over Germany.

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

As usual, great pics Mark, Thank you!
It's been over 2 years since that escort and the memories still bring chills to my eyes and tears to my eyes. Judge Des Jardins greeted, thanked and spoke with each and every person that was part of the escort. it was very humbling and fulfilling to be part of such a service. It feels really good to give back and honor those that have served. If you have a chance to support a Patriot Guard mission, please try it, you will not believe the experience.
I did not stay for the funeral, that happened another day but from what I understand it was fitting for this man that gave all for us and his country. There are many that show thanks in different ways. There was supposed to be a flyover with a P-51 (Tony Buechler) and if I recall, 2 T6's though due to weather that didn't happen. It is my understanding that they were doing this to honor and say thanks with no expectation of reimbursement what so ever, very upstanding people!
The information trail from Europe has been sparse since the info I posted previously. I do wonder what came of the aircraft wreckage since it was removed from the site. Hopefully it is in a museum there honoring 2nd Lt. James Des Jardins and all of the others that have served their respective countries. If anyone has any information about the aircraft please pass it along.
Thanks again for the pics Mark.

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Always looking for P-51D parts.

The pleasure is all mine Jack. I just hope we can always keep their memories alive, that's all that matters to me. Please feel free to pass along this thread to Judge Des Jardins if possible. I'm sure he would appreciate it and perhaps have fond memories of Lt. Des Jardins service.

And thank you again for your special mission for Lt. Des Jardins, as well as your support for the USS Sangamon model project. All greatly appreciated.

M

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”