Grant, Ralph Gilbert

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Grant, Ralph Gilbert ⇗
Rank	Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number	11029725
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #71 dated 15 August 1943, effective 15 August 1943.
Duty	Tail Gunner
MOS	611 - Aerial Gunner
Last Duty Date	8 March 1944
Results	Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information	Ditched and rescued on 16 September 1943 mission to Nantes, France. Placed on five days Temporary Duty (R&R) The American Red Cross Club, Southport on or about 20 October 1943 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #99 dated 19 September 1943. Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #104 dated 25 September 1943. Ditched, and entire crew rescued on 1 December 1943 mission to Solingen, Germany; no MACR.
Photo Album:	Crew Photo Album⇗

Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER	POSITION	RESULTS
2nd Lt. Price, William Merriman, III⇗	Pilot	CT
2nd Lt. Coleman, Lee Browning⇗	Co-pilot	POW
2nd Lt. Harvey, Harry Blakely, Jr⇗	Navigator	INT
2nd Lt. Arquette, Leroy Arthur⇗	Bombardier	CT
S/SGT. Smith, Robert Eugene⇗	Radio Operator / Gunner	CT
S/SGT. Beaty, Earl Richard⇗	Engineer / Top Turret Gunner	CT
SGT. Griffin, Daniel (NMI)⇗	Ball Turret Gunner	KIA
SGT. Grant, Ralph Gilbert	Tail Gunner	CT
SGT. Leigh, James Carl⇗	Flexible Gunner	CT

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 25 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
18⇗	27 August 1943	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Watten, France	Tail Gunner	42‑30043⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
19⇗	31 August 1943	Target: Fighter Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France	Tail Gunner	42‑30043⇗	Combat Mission Credit High Squadron Deputy. Sortie Report⇗
20⇗	3 September 1943	Target: Air Park and Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Romilly-sur-Seine, France	Tail Gunner	42‑30043⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
21⇗	6 September 1943	Type: Industry Location: Stuttgart, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑30043⇗	Combat Mission Credit Landed away at RAF West Malling, Kent, due to low fuel. Returned to Station 106 at 1530 hours. Flak hole in left elevator. Sortie Report⇗
23⇗	9 September 1943	Target: Airfield Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Lille-Vendeville, France	Tail Gunner	42‑29699⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
24⇗	16 September 1943	Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River) Type: Transportation Location: Nantes, France	Tail Gunner	42‑29699⇗	Combat Mission Credit Ditched in the English Channel Near Hope Cove, Knightsbridge, Devon (about 15 miles SE of Plymouth), after being damaged by enemy aircraft; crew rescued by a fishing boat; Leigh was injured and hospitalized in Hope Cove until 2 October; no MACR; all returned to duty. Sortie Report⇗
26⇗	27 September 1943	Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑29703⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
27⇗	2 October 1943	Target: Port Facilities Type: Transportation Location: Emden, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑29987⇗	Combat Mission Credit Dropped 52,000 Code #5s 'nickles' over target. Sortie Report⇗
29⇗	8 October 1943	Target: Workshops Type: Submarine Facility Location: Bremen, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑29987⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off Turned back, the right waist gunner "could not stand altitude." Sortie Report⇗
30⇗	9 October 1943	Target: Aircraft Factories Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Anklam, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑29987⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
32⇗	14 October 1943	Target: Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑3037⇗	Combat Mission Credit Crew bailed out near Deenethorpe on return; the aircraft crash-landed near Corby, UK. Sortie Report⇗
39⇗	1 December 1943	Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant Type: Industry Location: Solingen, Germany	Waist (Flexible) Gunner	42‑39796⇗	Combat Mission Credit Ditched off Portsmouth, entire crew rescued; no MACR. Sortie Report⇗
51⇗	7 January 1944	Target: Powerhouse Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany	Waist (Flexible) Gunner	42‑3087⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
52⇗	11 January 1944	Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑29651⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
53⇗	14 January 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Le Meillard, France	Waist (Flexible) Gunner	42‑31045⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
54⇗	21 January 1944	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Preuseville, France	Ball Turret	42‑37788⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41B Group. Sortie Report⇗
55⇗	29 January 1944	Target: Aircraft Parts Plants Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Tail Gunner	41‑24578⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low group. Sortie Report⇗
56⇗	30 January 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑97449⇗	Combat Mission Credit Lead group. Sortie Report⇗
57⇗	3 February 1944	Target: Submarines (under construction) Type: Submarine Facility Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany	Waist (Flexible) Gunner	42‑3087⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Group. After losing the formation in clouds, continued mission with the 303rd BG. Sortie Report⇗
60⇗	6 February 1944	Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Nancy, France	Ball Turret	42‑97449⇗	Combat Mission Credit Landed away at Deenethorpe on return. Sortie Report⇗
62⇗	11 February 1944	Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry) Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑97449⇗	Combat Mission Credit Flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report⇗
63⇗	20 February 1944	Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑97449⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41B Group. Sortie Report⇗
64⇗	21 February 1944	Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Werl, Germany	Waist (Flexible) Gunner	42‑97449⇗	Combat Mission Credit Assumed position of high Squadron deputy, lead group. Sortie Report⇗
67⇗	25 February 1944	Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants Type: Industry Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany	Engineer/Top Turret	42‑38112⇗	Combat Mission Credit 41C Group, Lead Squadron, Lead Group. During assembly, forced out of the 41st Combat Wing while avoiding collision wih another aircraft; joined the 41st Composite Wing and completed the mission. Sortie Report⇗
71⇗	4 March 1944	Type: Military Location: Berlin, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑31433⇗	Combat Mission Credit Low Squadron deputy. Sortie Report⇗
72⇗	6 March 1944	Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑37801⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off High group deputy, 40th Composite Combat Wing. Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing. Sortie Report⇗
73⇗	8 March 1944	Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory Type: Bearings Industry Location: Berlin, Germany	Tail Gunner	42‑37801⇗	Combat Mission Credit Wing deputy. Sortie Report⇗

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