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Personal info

Full name
WOLD, Ray Elder
Date of birth
27 March 1925
Age
19
Place of birth
Dwight Township, Richland County, North Dakota
Hometown
Wahpeton, Richland County, North Dakota

Military service

Service number
37582131
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
327th Bombardment Squadron,
92nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
3 March 1945
Place of death
Forchies-la-Marche, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 44 43

Immediate family

Members
George N. Wold (father)
Julia Wold (mother)
Edith Wold (sister)
Ruby Wold (sister)
Earl Wold (brother)
Fern Wold (sister)
Hattie Wold (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
44-6584
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Ruhland, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil refinery

More information

The mission of the day was to bomb the oil refinery of Ruhland with 222 bombers. Only 24 of them attacked this primary target. 166, including #44-6584, bombed the secondary target, the marshalling yard at Chemnitz.

While over Brussels, when returning to their base in England, flying at 25,000', aircraft #43-38675 hit prop wash and dropped down, striking aircraft #44-6584.

It was struck at the radio room, broke into three pieces, and both aircraft spiraled down. One parachute came from Lt Schmidt's aircraft: its sole survivor was S/Sgt Edward W. Bartley, Jr., the tail gunner. The other eight crew members were killed.

From the other plane, only Sgt Marshall P. Dellinger, ball turret gunner, was killed when his parachute failed to open. All other members of the crew survived.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, Muriel Rodriques, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, Clemson University Alumni Association, ArmyAirforces.com forum - "The Route As Briefed" by John S. Sloan, WWII Draft Card, 1930 US Census

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Muriel Rodriguez, Edward E. Bartley