Ralph Thadus May

Military

Shot down 30 July 1943 in B-17 #42-30202. Prisoner of War (POW).

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 388th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12168148
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-673572
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: T-325
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38188080
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16074184
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

13 March 1907 Alamance County, North Carolina, United States

Enlisted

22 July 1942 Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Other

Bailed out

30 July 1943 from 42-30202, over Belgium

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

30 July 1943 captured and interned at Stalag XVIIB in Braunau, near Krems, Austria. NARA WWII POW records : "returned to Military Control 9 July 1945."

Died

4 January 1995 McLeansville, North Carolina

Buried

Ralph May rests at the Alamance National Cemetery in Burlington, North Carolina

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 3125
NARA WWII Enlistment recods
NARA WWII POW records
Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File
Personal research for 42-30202 and its crew for Tail Gunner Donald Boyd's page at http://www.evasioncomete.org/fboyddm.html

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3125 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database