Roy Margel Ballard
Military
Ball Turret Gunner
Robert C. Cozens Crew
95th BG - 334th BS 95th Bomb Group collection
Object Number - UPL 44525 - SSGT Roy M. Ballard Ball Turret Gunner Robert C. Cozens Crew 95th BG - 334th BS
Connections
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Units served with

- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment

- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-727183
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12045903 / O-?
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: O-738028
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little Jimmie, Memphis Blues
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 306th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron 358th Bomb Squadron 423rd Bomb Squadron

- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Lady liberty; Patsy Ann I
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron

- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Trouble Shooter
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron

- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Darlin' Dolly
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron 803rd Bomb Squadron

- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Patsy Ann lll
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
Missions

- Date: 20 October 1943

- Date: 4 October 1943
- Date: 2 October 1943

- Date: 27 September 1943

- Date: 26 September 1943
Places

- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Howland, TX | 29 May 1921 | |
Other 95th BG Combat Tour |
Horham Airfield, UK | 13 May 1943 - 20 October 1943 | 25 Combat Missions |
Died |
Roxton, TX | 27 October 1996 | THE PARIS NEWS, Mon., Oct. 28, 1996, p. 5A: '(Picture) Roy Margel Ballard, 75, died Sunday Oct. 27, 1996, at his home in Roxton. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, at Fry and Gibbs Funeral Home Chapel with Nolan Butler, minister of College Church of Christ, officiating. He will be assisted by Earl Smith and Jerry Amsler. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7-8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home and at other times at their home in Roxton. Mr. Ballard was born May 29, 1921, in Howland, Lamar County, Texas, a son of James Roy (Jack) and Mary Essie Ballard. He graduated from Paris High School in 1938. In July 1942 he enlisted in the United States Air Force and graduated from Harlingen, Texas Gunnery School where he was awarded the Silver Wings of the Aerial Gunner and promoted to the rank of sergeant. He was a ball turrett gunner on U.S. bombers with the 95th Bombardment Group and flew more than 35 missions in France, Germany, Africa and England, receiving the European-African-Middle Eastern Air Medal with one Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal with three Bronze Clusters, one Overseas Bar and the Distinguished Flying Cross. In October 1945, he received his honorable discharge at Randolph Field, Texas. In 1947, he was one of the first to enlist when the Texas National Guard was organized in Lamar County. He served with the 49th Armored Division at Port Polk, LA, during the Berlin crisis and served as administrative assistant to the division surgeon until his retirement in 1981 with the rank of major. He was owner and operator of Ballard Trucking Co. many years. Mr. Ballard was a 25-year member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks No. 2433, serving the organization as Exalted Ruler from 1977-1979 and from 1984 until the present. During his tenure the lodge increased its membership from 200 to 1,200 and is the largest lodge in membership in Texas. He married Barbara Thompson April 27, 1947, |
Buried |
Paris, TX | 29 October 1996 | Evergreen Cemetery Paris, Lamar County, Texas, USA |
Revisions
Contributorjmoore43
ChangesChanges to middlename
Sources
Added middle name from info in the obituary attached to the Died event.
Contributor466thHistorian
ChangesChanges to service number, highest rank, awards, events, person associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://95thbg.org/95th_db_pages/left_formation_code/gethonoroll.php