Ray Phillip Reeves
MilitaryRay Reeves had trained as radio operator and flew in that capacity on many missions with the James E. Hill Jr crew, including Ploesti and Wiener Neustadt.
In December 1943, due to ear and nose problems, he was taken temporarily off duty. As he had used a camera on some operations to film bomb strikes, he became familiar with the men in the 44th BG photographic section while recuperating. As his position in the Hill crew had in the meantime been filled by Sgt Chase (P V Chase?), he was asked to fly as a photographer on the 21 January 1944 mission with the Howington crew on B-24H "Ram It-Dam' It" 42-7635. After bombs away, the plane was attacked over France by German fighters and was shot down. It turned out to be Reeves' first and last mission as a photographer. Reeves was one of the 5 evaders. He landed near Sommereux (Oise), France and was in Auneuil the same evening.
For the following 5 1/2 months, he was fed, clothed, transported, sheltered in many places, among them Beauvais, Paris, Beauvais again, then back in Paris. Left Paris by train towards the South of France and, guided by Belgian members of the Comet evasion network, he crossed the Pyrénées mountains in the night of 7-8 May 1944. He was led across Spain to Gibraltar, arriving there on 6 June 1944. He left Gibraltar by air the following day and landed in Bristol, England on 8 June 1944. Escape & Evasion Report E&E 729.
See the full story of his evasion at http://www.evasioncomete.be/freevesrp.html
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
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14151313
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39831745
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18162569
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35037588 at enlistment, then O-741141
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 11052903 at enlistment, then O-748585
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 21 January 1944
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Pathway
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Alanreed, Texas, USA | 6 April 1922 | |
Enlisted |
27 July 1942 | Lubbock, Texas | |
Other |
1 August 1943 | Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 41-24232. | |
Other Bailed out |
21 January 1944 | of 42-7635, over France | |
Other Landed in parachute |
21 January 1944 | near Sommereux (Oise), France | |
Other Evaded capture |
21 January 1944 - 6 June 1944 | Helped by French citizens and members of the Résistance | |
Died |
3 July 2001 | Houston, Texas | |
Alanreed, Gray County, Texas, USA | |||
Buried |
Ray Reeves rests at the Brookside Memorial Park in Houston, Texas |
Revisions
MACR 2357
NARA WWII Enlistment Records
Escape & Evasion Report E&E 729 - https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5555369
Personal research for his page at http://www.evasioncomete.org/freevesrp.html
MACR 2357 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database