Ralph Irving Bowman Jr
Military
JCook Photo Collection & Archives
Object Number - UPL 38134 - Capt Ralph Bowman 55th FS 1945
Assigned to 55FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Flight leader 55FS. 296 x combat hrs. Transferred to 4th Combat Bomb Wing on completion of tour. Credited with 2 x destroyed, 1 x damaged.
Awards: DFC, AM (8OLC), WWII Victory, American Campaign and Defense Medal, EAME (6 x Battle Stars), OCC, National Defense, AF Longevity Service Award.
Killed in crash of C-45 Beach, 44-87129 5-Apr-51. Killed in Flying Action (KIFA)
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Wing
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 353rd Fighter Group 351st Fighter Squadron 55th Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Kingscliffe, Apethorpe
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
North Carolina, USA | 26 September 1921 | Son of Ralph Irving Sr and Sarah Frances [Burgess] Bowman. |
|
Based |
Kings Cliffe | 17 July 1944 - 13 January 1945 | Assigned to 55FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Other Promotion |
Wittering, Peterborough PE8, UK | 21 October 1944 | Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. |
|
Other Promotion |
Wittering, Peterborough PE8, UK | 19 December 1944 | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. |
|
Other Transferred |
14 January 1945 | Transferred to 4th Combat Bomb Wing. | |
|
Other Promotion |
Wittering, Peterborough PE8, UK | 14 January 1945 | Promoted to Captain. |
|
Other Crashed |
Las Cruces, NM, USA | 5 April 1951 | Fatal Crash Ground Collision 15 Miles E Las Cruces, NM C-45F 44-87129 4914FOS 910ABG Kirtland AFB, NM |
|
Other End Tour of Duty (ETD) |
England, UK | Ended Tour of Duty (ETD). |
Revisions
JCook Photo Collection & Archives
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia;
- King's Cliffe Memorial Edition
