Ross M McCollum
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Letter and photographs by courtesy of Mr. Mark Johnson of Seattle WA, who is the son of Miss Margaret (Eileen) Grady, the recipient of the letter from Ross McCollum.
Object Number - UPL 30067 - 1st. Lt. Ross McCollum, 447th BG, 708th BS
Killed in Action (KIA) Crashed into channel in B-17 'Yellow Cab' 42-32081.
"Aircraft left formation at approximately 5350N-0820E at 1140 hours. No flak had been encountered up to this point and cause of leaving formation is unknown. Aircraft was under control when last observed. At 1459 hours MFDF section gave aircraft's position at 5230N-0325E and that the aircraft was about to ditch. P-51's were sent to search area. Search was unsuccessful and was terminated by darkness. Search was continued morning of 5 November 1944 due to a gale the night before. 8 Sterling and 4 Warwicks continued the search and at 5250N-0350E wreckage and an empty dinghy were located with no sign of any personnel. However, there is nothing to confirm the fact that this wreckage was aircraft 42-32081." (from https://www.findagrave.com)
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Yellow Cab
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
El Monte, California | 12 September 1922 | He was born in Perris, Los Angeles, California but spent most of his childhood in El Monte, Los Angeles, California, where he graduated in 1940. |
|
Other Killed in action |
4 November 1944 | ||
|
Buried |
Revisions
Letter and photographs added by courtesy of Mr. Mark Johnson of Seattle WA, who is the son of Miss Margaret (Eileen) Grady, the recipient of the letter from Ross McCollum.
Additional biographical details from https://www.findagrave.com
personal letter sent to his childhood friend & neighbor, my husband's mother, Eileen GRADY, at 1254 Tutwiler St, Nashville, TN, dated 2 Mar 1944 from 424 S Maxson Rd (the site of their childhood acquaintance)
His middle name was Marshel. ( graduation card) His parents were Benjamin Franklin McCOLLUM & Ada Genevieve MILLS. His father, a truck driver, died before 1930 in California. (1930 & 1940 US Census records for El Monte, Los Angeles, CA.) Ross spent his high school years in El Monte, Los Angeles, California where he graduated from El Monte High School in 1940. ( El Monte 1940 Yearbook) Ross also graduated from The Army Air Forces Bombardier School in Carlsbad, New Mexico, Thursday morning, 26 February 1944 as a Lieutenant.
(graduation notice & letter sent to my husband's mother, Eileen GRADY, Ross's childhood friend & neighbor).
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 10162
