Joe Henry Gray Jr

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

Object Number - UPL 68244 - Capt Joe H. Gray Jr

Assigned to 342BS, 97BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 21-Oct-42 in B-17 41-24441 'Francis X' while serving as Navigator. Killed in Action (KIA).

 

Awards: AM, PH.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew im

97th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Lieutenant Harry R. Erickson, from Mankato, Minnesota, a bombardier of the 97th Bomb Group inside the nose of a B-17 Flying Fortress. A censor has obscured the ammunition to the bottom left of Erickson. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Ministry of Information 25 Jul 1942.' [stamp], 'Air(Boeing).' [written annotation] and '212091.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'AMERICAN FLYING FORTRESSES WAIT FOR ZERO HOUR. Associated Press Photo Shows: Lt. Harry Erickson from Mankato, Mi

Harry Ray Erickson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17017977 / O-440334
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Ned R Herzstam

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39165066
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Kenneth Laud

Kenneth Kurtz Laud

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20744087
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

William Thomas Lynch

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14073155
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Kenneth V Maeran

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12043729
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

41-24441

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Francis X
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Tallahassee, Florida 19 December 1918 BornTallahassee, Florida

Enlisted

Fort Benning, Georgia 29 July 1940 EnlistedFort Benning, Georgia

Other

Changed Speciality

East St Louis, Missouri 15 December 1940 Washed out of pilot training, changed training stream to Navigator.East St Louis, Missouri

Other

Commissioned

Miami, Florida 1 February 1941 Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant

Died

Killed in Action (KIA)

Lorient, France 21 October 1942 Aircraft lost near Lorient, France. Circumstances unknown. Jis remains have never been recovered.

Died

Tablets of the Missing

Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial Coton,Cambridge, UK 1 January 1946 Tablets of the MissingCambridge American Cemetery and MemorialCoton, Cambs, UK

Buried

Memorialised

Oakland Cemetery Tallahassee, Florida 1 January 1948 MemorialisedOakland CemeteryTallahassee, Florida

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/310762962

https://www.fold3.com/record/529901414/joe-h-gray-jr-us-american-battle-monuments-commission-1914-1950

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56290201/joe-henry-gray

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130651777/joe-henry-gray

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Conections with other crew members

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 17-Nov-2014. Added KIA & Commemoration events.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-Oct-2014. Correction to crew position.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 27-Oct-2014. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor, Losses of the 8th and 9th AF Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey, p. 38

Joe Henry Gray: Gallery (1 items)

Joe Gray Jr

Object number: UPL 68244 - Capt Joe H. Gray Jr