Jean E Ray
Military"Iowans of the Mighty Eighth", Chapter 22 "Biographies", by Charles D Taylor.
Drafted in August 1942 he trained as a radio operator before joining the 100th at Thorpe Abbotts. Shot down 3 September 1943 in B-17 #4230035 'Torchy. ' Prisoner of War (POW). He was held at Stalag Luft XV11B for 19 months until the camp was evacuated ahead of the advancing Russians. He wrote up the experience of the forced march to the west, describing the appalling conditions until US soldiers arrived at their camp on 2nd May 1945.
POW
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Pasadena Nena aka Torchy
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Newton, Iowa |
Revisions
100th Bomb Group Foundation Directory, 2000 - 2001; Roll of Honor, 1 Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey p.264 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia