Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
THORNTON, Raymond Andrew - Date of
birth
19 September 1921 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Potter County, Texas -
Hometown
Amarillo, Potter County, Texas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-693711 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
601st Bombardment Squadron,
398th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
8 July 1944 - Place of
death
North Sea
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Clay Thornton (father)
Lefa Thornton (mother)
Virginia Thornton (sister)
George Thornton (brother)
Carlos Thornton (brother)
Margaret Thornton (sister)
Gary Thornton (brother)
Douglas Thornton (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-107096 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Humieres, France
MACR: 7220
More information
2nd Lt Raymond A. Thornton graduated from Amarillo High School in 1939. He attended Amarillo Junior College for one year.He enlisted on 1 January 1941 and was sent overseas in April 1944.
Lt Thornton bailed out but drowned in the North Sea. The plane was hit by flak on the approach to the target. The radio operator was severely wounded. They turned to head home to England. After passing over the French coast, one of the engines caught fire. The pilot, Kerry Berry, ordered the bail out. He told Raymond to jump with the radio operator to assist him. They were the first out, they jumped through the bomb bay. Only Raymond's chute opened. Neither were seen or heard from again.
Source of information: Michel Beckers, Terry Hirsch, William Thornton (nephew), Texas Birth Index
Photo source: Jac Engels, Westhorn/Amarillo Globe News - 23 June 1944, Michel Beckers/Geoff Rice 398th Web Team, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 43-F, Coleman Flying School, Texas, Amarillo High School 1939