Ralph, Robert Edward

Individual Personnel Data
Name Ralph, Robert Edward   ‡
⇗
Rank Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 35443176   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #56 Dated 25 July 1943, effective 25 July 1943.
Duty Ball Turret Gunner
MOS611 - Aerial Gunner
Last Duty Date 30 January 1944
Results Killed In Action
Final Resting Place or Memorial: Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Saint Louis, Missouri
DecorationsPresented Air Medal on 17 October 1943 (microfilm B0376-01630).
Presented Oak Leaf Cluster (to Air Medal) on 23 January 1944 (microfilm B0376-01669).
Additional Information
Ordered on seven days Temporary Duty to the American Red Cross Club, Southport (A FLAK House) on or about 9 January 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #6 dated 8 January 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 2263⇓ (3.481 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Sweningsen, Oliver (NMI), Jr⇗PilotPOW
2nd Lt. Stewart, Carlos Penfield⇗Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Cawley, Thomas Francis⇗BombardierPOW
T/SGT. Barta, Joseph Francis⇗Radio Operator / GunnerPOW
T/SGT. Bartholomew, Everett Laverne⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Ralph, Robert EdwardBall Turret GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Grover, Richard Stanley⇗Tail GunnerKIA
S/SGT. Dillingham, Desmond Quinton⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Weatherford, Louie Frank⇗Flexible GunnerEV
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 22 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
15⇗ 15 August 1943 Target: Poix-en-Picardie and Amiens-Glisy Airfields
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Poix-de-Picardie & Amiens, France 		Ball Turret 42‑5852⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
16⇗ 16 August 1943 Target: Le Bourget Airport & Air Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France 		Ball Turret 42‑3459⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
21⇗ 6 September 1943 Type: Industry
Location: Stuttgart, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑3429⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away near Dungeness, Kent, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
23⇗ 9 September 1943 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Lille-Vendeville, France 		Ball Turret 42‑5404⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron Deputy
Sortie Report⇗
25⇗ 23 September 1943 Target: Submarine Repair Ship
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Nantes, France 		Ball Turret 42‑5051⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
26⇗ 27 September 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑3216⇗ Combat Mission Credit
One engine went out before the target, and a second was hit by flak. A third engine quit on the way home. The crew threw as much as possible overboard, and the pilot was able to bring it in on one engine.
Sortie Report⇗
27⇗ 2 October 1943 Target: Port Facilities
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑5051⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
29⇗ 8 October 1943 Target: Workshops
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑3216⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
31⇗ 10 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Münster, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑3216⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Sortie Report⇗
33⇗ 20 October 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Düren, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
--⇗ 30 October 1943 Target: Marshaling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Geilenkirchen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑3218⇗ Sortie Report⇗
34⇗ 3 November 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Wilhelmshafen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
35⇗ 5 November 1943 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑37816⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
36⇗ 16 November 1943 Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine
Type: Industry
Location: Knaben, Norway 		Ball Turret 42‑37776⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
40⇗ 5 December 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Saint-Jean-d'Angély, France 		Ball Turret 42‑39888⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
41⇗ 11 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Emden, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑29828⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑5404⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group, high Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
43⇗ 16 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
45⇗ 22 December 1943 Target: Steel Shops/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
46⇗ 24 December 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Croisette, France 		Ball Turret 41‑24525⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑29554.
Sortie Report⇗
47⇗ 30 December 1943 Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑30026⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
51⇗ 7 January 1944 Target: Powerhouse
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑29632⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Became separated from formation in dense clouds after group assembly; failed to make wing rendezvous.
Sortie Report⇗
54⇗ 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Ball Turret 42‑31415⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, Low Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
56⇗ 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
Low group high Squadron. Last seen at 1146 hrs, six minutes before the IP, being attacked by FW 190s and began falling away from the formation where he burst into flames, but continued on and dropped bombs on target; three chutes seen to emerge; crashed near Oberkirchen, Germany. Casualties buried in Meinsen. MACR 2263
Sortie Report⇗

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