Born in Hastings, MI, James grew up in the area. He attended one room schoolhouses around Hastings, spent some time in Grand Rapids and ultimately graduated from High School in 1939.
This collection is entirely photographs of James' early life with his parents and brother Bill.
This collection recounts the early life, military training and combat career of WWII P-38 pilot James P. Dibble of Hastings, MI.
It includes information on:
His early life through time spent in Chicago just before the war,
The efforts of his nephews to unearth more information about him,
The story of finding his crash site in Italy,
His posthumous Distinguished Flying Cross medal,
Personal correspondence,
Military records and eye-witness information surrounding not only James' final flight but other WWII air battles,
Information on the memorial erected to him in Italy where he died.
Artifacts are on display at the Hastings Public Library, including parts of his crashed airplane. All of the original documents contained in this digital collection are also housed here, along with a few items that could not be included digitally.
We hope you enjoy learning more about James and help us honor his contribution and ultimate sacrifice to keep our country safe.
The collection is divided into the below sections:
Did you know the Hastings Public Library has been around in one form or another since 1896?
It started out as the Women's Club Reading Room and over time, grew into the vital and vibrant public institution we all know and love.
Look through this collection to learn about where it all started, see the how the efforts of so many helped the library grow, and have some fun seeing photos of the past.
