Ralph Louis Squires
Military
The six brothers served in the military in World War II and all saw combat, all returning home safely. Their mother received a letter of acknowledgement expressing the nation’s gratitude from The Secretary of War.
From the Squires Foundation website at https://wmdsquiresfoundation.org/about-the-foundation/
Object Number - UPL 37850 - Photo of Ralph Squires, cropped from the one showing him and his five brothers (William, Earl, Paul, Harold and Hugh) on the William D. Squires...
Ralph Squires was Tail Gunner on board of B-24 42-51506 on the 27 February 1945 mission to the Halle Marshalling Yards, Germany. Crashed Betzenhausen, 1,5km NW of Freiburg-im-Breisgau, Germany. Prisoner of War (POW). He was one of six brothers who all served during WWII and got back home safely.
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: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 445th Bomb Group 701st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39911604
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Nose Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 445th Bomb Group 701st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33728946
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 445th Bomb Group 701st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35331002
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 445th Bomb Group 701st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-2072788
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator / Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 445th Bomb Group 701st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36758482
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 445th Bomb Group 701st Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 27 February 1945
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Tivetshall
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
27 August 1922 | Utica, Knox County, Ohio, the son of John I. and Sarah E. Squires | |
|
Enlisted |
11 December 1942 | as a Private in the Air Corps, Columbus, Ohio | |
|
Other Captured |
27 February 1945 | in the immediate vicinity of Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, after he baled out of B-24 42-51506 | |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
27 February 1945 | Interned in Germany. NARA WWII POW records : “Returned to Military Control on 8 September 1945.” | |
|
Died |
23 November 2001 | Ohio | |
| Jackson, Clay County, Indiana | |||
|
Buried |
Ralph Squires rests at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Granville, Licking County, Ohio |
Revisions
MACR 12778
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File
Birsic MACR 12778 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 12778 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
