Ray Delbert Packard
Civilian ROLL OF HONOURFold3.com
2Lt. Ray Delbert Packard was the youngest child of Ralph Delbert "Ray" Packard and his wife Inez Vivian Allard Packard. He was born in South Dakota (possibly McCook County) in 1924. Ray joined the army from southern California and, after completing flight training, was assigned to the 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group and sent to Saint Lambert Airfield (A11) in Normandy, France.
On August 25, 1944, he was the pilot of his P-38J Lightning (tail number 42-67529) in a flight of 22 P-38's sent to attack enemy airfields near Laon-Chambry, France. While enroute to the target, his group was intercepted by more than 80 German fighters near Beauvais, France. During the ensuing dog fight, 11 P-38's were shot down, including Lt. Packard's which crashed 15 miles south of Beauvais near the town of Angy. Five of the downed pilots escaped and evaded capture and two were taken as prisoners of war.
Of the four men who were missing in action, three were later recovered and identified, but Lt. Packard remained unaccounted for. He remained MIA until 2006-2007 when his remains were recovered, identified and repatriated. He was interred at Prescott National Cemetery, Arizona on October 22, 2008 and is still honored on the Tablets of the Missing at the Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial in France.
Name to be added to War Memorial of Angy, Oise, France.
Unveiling to take place 24 Aug 2019.
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Lt.Ray D. Packard's crash site found in 2006 by french volunteer researchers of The 474th Fighter Group Association.
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En route to targets in Aisne, France, Lt Packard was KIA on an air combat SE of Beauvais, Oise, 25 Aug 44.
Out of 23 P-38s despatched on this mission 11 failed to return.
ALG was A-11 Saint-Lambert, Normandie.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Unit: 474th Fighter Group 428th Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Cemetery
- Known as: Ardennes American Cemetery, Liege, Belgium
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Killed in action |
25 August 1944 | ||
Born |
South Dakota, USA |
Revisions
TogetherWeServed.com; fieldsofhonor-database.com; Ancestry.com; MACR 8238