Volunteered for Army Air Force on 18 Jan 42. Attended Waco Army Flying School. Commissioned a 2nd Lt in US Army Air Corp. Co Pilot of B-17 42-31119, 'Calamity Jane'. Flew 3 missions over Germany. On a training flight on 28 Dec 43, overshot the runway on a foggy morning, lost an engine, hit an embankment and crashed. Lt Ratliff along with 4 other crew members were killed instantly in the burning wreckage.



Killed in Action (KIA), was on Round Robin navigation training mission when plane reported no. 1 engine feathered. and requested emergency landing. During the turn on final approach the a/c struck the shooting-in butts and burst into flames, killing all five crew.



Archives, short bio by Loren Simms,nephew