Ray V Revels
MilitaryEarl B. Joswick is in the front row, third from the right.
B-17 Flying Fortress, production block no. TB-17F-VE/TB-40. AAF serial number is unknown, however it is in the 42-5700 to 42-6100 range. This aircraft is most assuredly not the Douglas B-17G-30-DL 42-38178. It is a Stateside training Fortress (TB) built by Lockheed Vega. The features of the plane are unmistakable. Compare to 42-5964 in Bowers, Fortress in the Sky, (published by Sentry). The tail markings of the background plane compare favorably to Vega 42-6001 on the MacDill website which hosted the 488BG RTU, later 326 Base Unit.
The combat aircraft from the 95BG associated with the crew Missing Aircrew Report (MACR 7409) is the Douglas B-17G-30-DL, 42-38178, however it is not pictured here and confirmation that 178 carried the nose art of TEN ACES or EASY ACES is not positively documented.
Moved the edits of user 'phil marchese NDU '97' from the aircraft entry to makes it clearer that UPL 7124 does not show B-17 42-38178 but that B-17 42-38178 was flown by the crew as listed on the aircraft's page. See Revision messages on the aircraft entry: http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/7101
Shot down 19 July 1944 in A/C #42-38178 'Ten Aces' over Schweinfurt, Ger. Captured, taken to Oberursel, Ger. (outside Frankfurt) for interrogation. Then taken to Keifheide, Ger. , Stalag Luft IV. Ran the 3 miles from the train station to the camp with broken vertebrae in lower back. Sustained several bayonet cuts and a dog bite. Was held in Stalag Luft IV Compound D from August 1944 until 6 February 1945 when we were put on a forced march, 20 to 40 kilometers a day until liberated 2 May 1945 by British troops. Walked approx 887 km. Discharged 12 October 1945.
PH, Good Conduct, AM, ETO ribbon, PUC w/2Oak Leaf Cluster, POW Medal, American Campaign Medal, EAME Campaign Medal, WWII Medal 1Oak Leaf Cluster
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ten Aces
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow, Pomerania
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Kershaw, South Carolina | 8 November 1923 | |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Germany | 19 July 1944 | Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust) (To Usedom Bei Savenmunde) 54-16 |
Revisions
Added a connection to Stalag Luft IV per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added POW camp info to the POW event from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 7409 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / self, MACR 7409