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name
RUTH, Raymond Joseph "Ike" - Date of
birth
31 January 1924 -
Age
21 -
Place of birth
Baltimore, Maryland -
Hometown
Baltimore, Maryland -
Ethnicity
White
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
33561175 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
unknown -
Unit
567th Bombardment Squadron,
389th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
7 May 1945 - Place of
death
Engers Bridge
Koblenz, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Sylvester Ruth (father)
Nellie (Kimmitt) Ruth (mother)
Naomi Ruth (sister)
Kathleen Ruth (sister)
Francis Ruth (brother)
Jean Ruth (sister)
Melvin Ruth (brother)
Elrita Ruth (sister)
Lorraine Ruth (sister)
More information
Sgt Raymond J. Ruth was a maintenance painter.He enlisted in Baltimore, Maryland on 2 March 1943.
Everyone called Raymond Ruth by his nickname "Ike". He got that name from a cartoon strip character in a local newspaper.
He was a gunner with the 567th Bomber Squadron.
Trolley missions were flown in early May 1945. The purpose being to provide all crew and ground personnel the opportunity to see the results of their contribution in the strategic air war against Germany. Many precautions were taken on these missions, and the most responsible and experienced pilots were chosen to fly. There were no trolley missions flown in bad weather. Despite such precautions, accidents occurred, such as this.
The crew decided to circle the cathedral in Koblenz. Presumably the airplane unfortunately flew much too low and collided with supply lines, which were stretched over the river Rhine. Due to the low altitude an evasive maneuver of the airplane was not possible any more. The plane crashed into one of the bridge piers.
All nineteen men aboard were killed, and the remains of only six of them were recovered.
S/Sgt Anderson was one of the 15 passengers on this flight with a B-24J with serialnumber 44-10620.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, Raf Dyckmans, John Ruth (nephew), www.389thbg.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, John Ruth (nephew)