Lt. Ben Higgins Jr.  (1921- 1944)

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Benjamin Higgins Jr. (1921 – 1944) was a WW2 P-38 Lightning pilot killed in action on August 18, 1944 near Lisieux, France. Ben was born and raised in Dahlonega, Georgia, the son of Benjamin and Amilda Higgins. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on June 26, 1942.  In Nov 1944, Ben received cadet pilot training at Chico CA Air Field (with Donald Kitzman), and in Jan 1944, he graduated from either Luke Field, AZ or Douglas Air Base, AZ.

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By August 1944, Ben was assigned to the 429th Fighter Squadron / 474th Fighter Group stationed at Saint-Lambert, France. The Squadron bombed and strafed such targets as airfields, hangars, railroads, bridges, highways, barges, fuel dumps, ammunition depots, gun emplacements, and troop concentrations