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Personal info

Full name
FORD, Ray Denver
Date of birth
2 March 1919
Age
24
Place of birth
Hopewell, Virginia
Hometown
Richmond, Virginia

Military service

Service number
6888102
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
360th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
29 November 1943
Place of death
Harpstedt, 25 km southwest of Bremen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
C 1 42

Immediate family

Members
Frank C. Ford (father)
Robert N. Poindexter (stepfather)
Lillian (Gardener) Ford (mother)
Roy C. Ford (brother)
Robert Ford (brother)
Marshall Poindexter (halfbrother)
Joan J. Ford (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-29498
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Mumsie aka Dark Horse
Destination: Bremen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the port
MACR: 1657

More information

S/Sgt Ray D. Ford flew 25 credited combat missions.

The aircraft was hit by flak just after bombs away with the bomb bay doors still open. The right horizontal stabilizer, part of the right wing and two engines were lost. A third engine caught fire.

The B-17 was also under attack by FW-190 German Fighters.

Seven crew members were killed, four men survived. The crew exceptionally consisted of eleven men because there was a photographer on board.

According to surviving crew members, S/Sgt Ford was killed in his turret.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.303rdbg.com, WWIImemorial, Footnote, WWII Draft Card, 1930 US Census

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, www.303rdbg.com, The Richmond News Leader - 19 January 1944