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Personal info

Full name
GREGORY, Ralph E Jr
Date of birth
14 April 1918
Age
26
Place of birth
Lake County, Ohio
Hometown
Washington DC

Military service

Service number
O-382940
Rank
Captain
Function
Command Pilot
Unit
849th Bombardment Squadron,
490th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
5 December 1944
Place of death
Gross Zerlang, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Ralph E. Gregory (father)
Jane H. (Gibson) Gregory (mother)
Dorothy H. Gregory (sister)
Frances W. (Bryant) Gregory (wife)
Mark Gregory (son)

More information

Captain Ralph E Gregory, Jr graduated from Hobart College in 1940.

He was command pilot on the day he was reported missing. The plane lost one engine just before target time but continued on it's bombing run. Number two engine went out at bombs away. The plane was attacked by a FW 190 while it was trying to catch up to its formation. The right wing was badly shot up and there was a fire in the gas tank. When the airplane was due to explode, the order to bail out was given. Only one member of the crew survived.

Shot down by Flak over the target.

Source of information: Terry Hirsch, www.abmc.gov, MACR 11046

Photo source: Bob Mallett, Peter Schouteten, The Herlad - 25 May 1946