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Ralph H Hichens

Military

  • This picture was taken in October or November 1944 after he returned from England. It was taken in front of his parent's house on Arlington Ave. in Los Angeles, CA. He was 20 years old.

    This picture was taken in October or November 1944 after he returned from England. It was taken in front of his parent's house on Arlington Ave. in Los Angeles, CA. He was 20 years old.

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  • Back row left to right Thomas H. “Pete” Fitzgerald – Pilot Edward J. Bullitt – Co-Pilot Edwin M. Dexter – Navigator Richard D. Eide – Bombardier Front row left to right: Ralph “H” Hichens – Top Turret Gunner/Flight Engineer Edward Gramc - Radio Operator/Gunner Edgar L. “Pappy” Heeg - Tail Gunner Charles O. Beckham – Ball Turret Gunner Michael Kimak – Waist Gunner This picture was taken on September 21, 1944 when they were assigned to the 305th BG 422nd BS. The crew was originally assigned to the 384th BG 546th BS on May 16, 1944. They flew 16 operational missions before being transferred to the 305th BG. on June 26, 1944 where they completed their tour. The original crew when assigned to the 384th BG had Carl R. Matthiesen as the Radio Operator/Gunner and William J. Pattillo as the 2nd Waist Gunner. Ed Gramc was assigned to the 384th BG 546th BS on May 16, 1944 with the James A. Gibson crew. For unknown reasons, when the Fitzgerald crew was transferred, Ed Gramc went with them and Carl Matthiesen and William Pattillo stayed with the 384th BG.

    Back row left to right Thomas H. “Pete” Fitzgerald – Pilot Edward J. Bullitt – Co-Pilot Edwin M. Dexter – Navigator Richard D. Eide – Bombardier Front row left to right: Ralph “H” Hichens – Top Turret Gunner/Flight Engineer Edward Gramc - Radio Operator/Gunner Edgar L. “Pappy” Heeg - Tail Gunner Charles O. Beckham – Ball Turret Gunner Michael Kimak – Waist Gunner This picture was taken on September 21, 1944 when they were assigned to the 305th BG 422nd BS. The crew was originally assigned to the 384th BG 546th BS on May 16, 1944. They flew 16 operational missions before being transferred to the 305th BG. on June 26, 1944 where they completed their tour. The original crew when assigned to the 384th BG had Carl R. Matthiesen as the Radio Operator/Gunner and William J. Pattillo as the 2nd Waist Gunner. Ed Gramc was assigned to the 384th BG 546th BS on May 16, 1944 with the James A. Gibson crew. For unknown reasons, when the Fitzgerald crew was transferred, Ed Gramc went with them and Carl Matthiesen and William Pattillo stayed with the 384th BG.

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Below is the list of missions he flew and the aircraft he was aboard:

384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
May 27, 1944 Mannheim, Ger. 42-37758 KENTUCKY KERNAL
May 28, 1944 Dessau, Ger. 42-102566 NINA
May 29, 1944 Poznan, Poland 42-102620 DE RUMBLE IZER Aborted (mechanical)
June 2, 1944 Hardelot, Fr. 42-97273 Aces & ATES!
June 3, 1944 Le Touquet, Fr. 42-102500
June 4, 1944 Hardelot, Fr. 42-102501 The Challenger
June 5, 1944 La Fosse, Fr. 42-102620 DE RUMBLE IZER
June 6, 1944 Caen, Fr. 42-102501 The Challenger
June 7, 1944 Caen, Fr. 42-102500
June 10, 1944 Nantes, Fr. 42-102500
June 13, 1944 Dreux, Fr. 42-97948 Hell on Wings
June 16, 1944 Laon, Fr. 42-97948 Hell on Wings
June 19, 1944 Fleury, Fr. 42-97948 Hell on Wings
June 19, 1944 Crepy, Fr. 42-97948 Hell on Wings
June 21. 1944 Berlin, Gr. 42-107057 Spirit of 96
June 24, 1944 Oslebshausen, Gr 42-97948 Hell on Wings
June 25, 1944 Sens, Fr. 42-97948 Hell on Wings

305th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron
July 6, 1944 St. Omer, Fr.
July 8, 1944 Poix A/D, Fr.
July 9, 1944 Chalonnes, Fr.
July 17, 1944 Doullens, Fr.
July 31, 1944 Munich, Gr.
August 1, 1944 Chateaudun A/D, Fr. 44-6162 Old Glory
August 14, 1944 Kaiserslautern, Gr. 42-97991
August 30, 1944 Kiel, Gr. 43-38030 My Achin' B
September 9, 1944 Mannheim, Gr. 43-37620 Sweet Lorraine
September 19, 1944 Unna, Gr. 44-6162 Old Glory

September 21, 1944 Crew picture taken in front of 43-37837 Stag Party

September 22, 1944 Celebrated his 20th birthday

Service

People

  • Charles Beckham

    Military | Sergeant | Ball turret gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 16 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944.

  • Edward Bullitt

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 16 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944.

  • Edwin Dexter

    Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 16 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944.

  • Richard Eide

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 10 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944.

  • Thomas Fitzgerald

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 18 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944.

  • Edward Gramc

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator; Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Transferred to the 305th Bombardment Group (per 546th BS Morning Report dated 26 June 1944). Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 16 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944.

  • Edgar Heeg

    Military | Sergeant | 384th Bomb Group

  • Ralph Hichens

    Military | Technical Sergeant | top turret gunner and flight engineer | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Below is the list of missions he flew and the aircraft he was aboard: ...

  • Michael Kimak

    Military | Sergeant | Waist gunner | 384th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 16 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944.

  • Carl Matthiesen

    Military | Technical Sergeant | 384th Bomb Group

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Units served with

  • 305th Bomb Group Can Do

    305th Bomb Group Can Do

    Group
    The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to...

  • 384th Bomb Group

    384th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 384th Bomb Group flew B-17s from Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, between May 1943 and June 1945. They were engaged in daylight bombing missions over Germany as part of the Allies' efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by...

  • 422nd Bomb Squadron

    422nd Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

  • 546th Bomb Squadron

    546th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

Aircraft

  • 42-102500

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 9/3/44; Hunter 7/4/44; Grenier 20/4/44; Assigned 546BS/384BG [BK-L] Grafton Underwood 3/5/44; battle damaged Gerolstein, Ger; 2/1/45 with ?; AFSC, Salvaged 18/1/45.

  • 42-102501 The Challenger

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 9/3/44; Gr Island 11/4/44; Dowe Fd 28/4/44; Assigned 546BS/384BG [BK-H] Grafton Underwood 12/5/44; Missing in Action Berlin 3/2/45 with Robert Clax Long, Frederick Arnold Maki, Jack Coleman Cook (3 Killed in Action); Ralph John Vrana...

  • 42-102566 NINA

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 15/3/44; Gr Island 1/4/44; Grenier 20/4/44; Assigned 545BS/384BG [JD-M] Grafton Underwood 4/5/44; u/c coll on landing 22/11/44; Salvaged AFSC.

  • 42-102620 DE RUMBLE IZER

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 18/3/44; Kearney 5/4/44; Grenier 14/4/44; Assigned 545BS/384BG [JD-P] Grafton Underwood 7/5/44; 546BS [BK-P], 544BS [SU-F]; damaged in taxi accident with 43-38721 with George Milligan 22/1/45; taxi accident 14/5/45 and nosed over...

  • 42-107057 SPIRIT OF 96

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Tulsa 8/2/44; Gr Island 19/2/44; Presque Is 5/3/44; Assigned 546BS/384BG [BK-T] Grafton Underwood 11/4/44; Missing in Action Frankfurt 25/9/44 with Noel Plowman, Co-pilot: Larry Ferguson, Navigator: Ed Cheresnik, Bombardier: Carl Hart, Radio...

  • 42-37758 KENTUCKY KERNEL

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Denver 20/8/43; Gr Island 18/8/43; Assigned 545BS/384BG [JD-W] Grafton Underwood 3/10/43; sal 10/12/44; retUS 1377 BU Grenier 12/1/45; 4124 BU Altus 16/8/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 9/10/45....

  • 42-97273 Aces & ATES!

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 15/2/44; Dalhart 1/3/44; Grenier 26/3/44; Assigned 546BS/384BG [BK-F] Grafton Underwood 9/4/44; detailed Leipzig 7/7/44 with Nick Pranger, Co-pilot: Kenneth Vaden, Navigator: Edward Cheresnik, Bombardier: Charles Wolf, Flight...

  • 42-97948 Hell on Wings

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Denver 12/4/44; Cheyenne 1/5/44; Hunter 14/5/44; Dow Fd 24/6/44; Assigned 326BS/92BG [JW-M] Podington 28/5/44; transferred 546BS/384BG [BK-U] Grafton Underwood 10/6/44; Missing in Action Wesseling, Germany 11/10/44 with John Wright Peterson,...

  • 42-97991

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Dallas 26/4/44; Langley 26/6/44; Grenier 13/7/44; Assigned 366BS/305BG [XK- ] Chelveston 9/8/44; Missing in Action Merseburg 24/8/44 with Major Herbt von Turgeln*, Co-pilot: Roland Heusser, Navigator: Harry James, Navigator: Edwin Johnson, Xn...

  • 43-37620 Sweet Lorraine

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 4/5/44; Hunter 18/5/44; Grenier 3/6/44; Assigned 365BS/305BG Chelveston 28/6/44; Missing in Action Cologne 10/1/45 with Art Leuthesser, Bob Whitcomb (2 Prisoner of War); Bill Butcher, Claud McLaughlin, Irwin Levy, Virgil Biggs,...

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Associated Place

  • Chelveston

    Military site : airfield
    Chelveston was adapted and expanded in preparation for the arrival of American forces. Rather than heavy bombers, the first aircraft to fly from its runways were C-47 Skytrains that were flown by the 60th Troop Carrier Group in July 1942. The first...

  • Grafton Underwood

    Military site : airfield
    Grafton Underwood was built in 1941 by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. It was the first airfield in England to receive an Eighth Air Force flying unit, when in May 1942 personnel of the 15th Bomb Squadron took up residence. As a satellite airfield for...

Events

Event Location Date
Nationality
American
Nickname
Service numbers
19177124
Highest rank
Technical Sergeant
Role/job
top turret gunner and flight engineer
Awards
  • Air Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters
  • American Campaign Medal
  • Distinguished Flying Cross
  • Good Conduct Medal
  • World War II Victory Medal
  • European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 bronze stars

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
13 September 2020 21:49:12 ghichens Changes to biography
Sources

Greg Hichens
Date Contributor Update
19 August 2020 21:30:13 ghichens Changes to biography
Sources

Greg Hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
19 August 2020 18:09:27 ghichens Changes to biography
Sources

Greg Hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
22 July 2020 21:39:36 ghichens Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

Greg Hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
21 July 2020 22:16:44 ghichens Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

Greg Hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
21 July 2020 21:57:23 ghichens Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

Greg Hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
21 July 2020 21:45:11 ghichens Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

Greg Hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
21 July 2020 21:37:22 ghichens Changes to person associations and aircraft associations
Sources

Greg Hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
31 August 2019 16:48:51 ghichens Changes to nickname
Sources

Greg Hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
31 August 2019 16:48:03 ghichens Changes to middlename
Sources

Greg Hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
17 August 2019 17:32:34 ghichens Changes to place associations
Sources

Greg Hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
17 August 2019 17:16:21 ghichens Changes to person associations
Sources

Greg Hichens, som
Date Contributor Update
16 August 2019 22:45:25 ghichens Changes to unit associations
Sources

Greg Hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
16 August 2019 22:23:49 ghichens Changes to person associations
Sources

Greg Hichens, son of crew member
Date Contributor Update
16 August 2019 22:21:39 ghichens Changes to awards
Sources

Greg Hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
16 August 2019 22:19:40 ghichens Changes to service number, highest rank and role
Sources

Greg hichens, son
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:21:49 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

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