Penrose Wily Reagan

Military
media-40964.jpeg UPL 40964 Jay Ossiander's crew. L-R Back Row: Penrose Reagan, Angelo Virgona, George Clarke, Donald Rouse, Ancil Anderson, Tommy Higdon.

Jay Ossiander's Crew Photograph with names.

Object Number - UPL 40964 - Jay Ossiander's crew. L-R Back Row: Penrose Reagan, Angelo Virgona, George Clarke, Donald Rouse, Ancil Anderson, Tommy Higdon.

INT Damaged by flak and landed in Switzerland on 31-Jul-44 in B-17 42-107092 'Umbriago'. While interned in Switzerland, Penrose (Ray) Reagan was selected to star in the movie "The Last Chance" (1945) directed by Leopold Lindtberg. This movie won the Grand Prize (The Golden Palm) at the Cannes Film Festival. Credited as Ray Reagan, he played the part of Sgt Jim Braddock. The director wanted to use real POW servicemen for all 3 lead parts.



Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

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Units served with

A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-755401
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12088200
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Freckles, Umbriago
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Camden, NJ 25 November 1924 Son of Penrose W Reagan and Anna F. [Hand] Dunkle.

Enlisted

9 March 1943

Other

Interned (INT)

Switzerland 31 July 1944 Damaged by flak and landed in Switzerland on 31-Jul-44 in B-17 42-107092 'Umbriago'.

Other

Discharged USAAF

10 December 1945 Honourable discharge.

Died

Maywood, IL 21 November 2003

Buried

Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery Elwood, Will County, IL 24 November 2003 Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery Elwood, Will County, Illinois

Based

Deenethorpe 31 July 1944 Assigned to 615BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorBill Buskey
Changes
Sources

IMDb and information provided by his fellow crew mate and my father in law, Angelo Virgona.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 7825 / MACR 7825, http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=3059 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Penrose Wily Reagan: Gallery (1 items)