Memorial

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Statement from Capt Bruce W. Carr:
"2nd Lt Rene J. Ramos, flying White 4, strafed to the left side of the airdrome. I didn’t see Lt Ramos’s ship until I pulled up from the strafing pass, about 5 minutes after we left the airdrome flying an easterly course. Lt Ramos still flying formation, called and informed me his engine had quit. I instructed Lt Ramos to change gas tanks and inquired as to his oil pressure. Lt Ramos informed me he had no oil pressure. I then told him to set a course of 270 degrees and keep going – I could see Lt Ramos all this time because he was on my wing. Lt Ramos could not get his engine started and kept losing altitude. He asked me what to do, and I told him to bail out. At this time, we were at 6,000 ft. and I had moved back and was flying Lt Ramos’s wing. Lt Ramos kept going down, and at 2,000 ft., he told me he was going to crash-land his ship. At 1,000 ft. Lt Ramos jettisoned his canopy, and at 800 ft., he jumped. His chute opened about the same time he hit the ground. I buzzed the spot where Lt Ramos hit the ground and from about 10 ft. saw him lying on the ground pretty badly smashed up."