Russell Murry Ward
MilitaryAssigned to 815BS, 483BG, 15AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Memmingen in B-17G 44-6177 'Dry Run' 18-Jul-44 hit by enemy aircraft, crashed Ravensburg; Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 7099
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
![Seen through a 433rd Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress' strike camera, a 816th Bomb Squadron B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5786) nicknamed "Whizzer II" goes down over Nis in Yugoslavia on the 15th of April 1944 in a gout of flame after taking a direct flak hit. There were no survivors. Official caption on image: "(483BG:4M3:2VI) (4:15:1208) (24:21300) ([south-west arrow] 140 [degrees]) (Nis M/Y Yugo) (Ship 111 816 Sq)." Handwritten caption on reverse: '15/4/44. 483BG, 15AF. Nis, Yugoslavia. 42-5786](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-457805.jpg.webp?itok=YT0rrjph)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Fifteenth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Fifteenth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 483rd Bomb Group 815th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35552178
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Armourer / Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Dry Run
- Unit: 483rd Bomb Group 815th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Madras, OR | 11 September 1917 | Son of Murry Crews and Melissa Ellen [Campbell] Ward. |
|
Enlisted |
Portland, OR | 9 May 1942 | |
|
Other Baled out POW |
Vicinity of Memmingen, Germany | 18 July 1944 | Failed to Return (FTR) Memmingen in B-17G 44-6177 'Dry Run' 18-Jul-44 hit by enemy aircraft, crashed Ravensburg; POW. MACR 7099 |
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Barth, Germany | 18 July 1944 | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I. |
|
Died |
Bellevue, WA | 25 December 1998 | Cremated / Ashes scattered on his favourite golf course. |
| Redmond, OR | |||
|
Based |
Sterparone | Assigned to 815BS, 483BG, 15AF USAAF. |