Ralph C Laurence
Military ROLL OF HONOUROn January 3, 1943 B-24 #4123808 'Texan' crashed in field near Aberporth airfield, Cardiganshire, returning from target U/B yards (submarine) at St. Nazaire, France. Fuel shortage caused the crash. 11RTD No MACR issued.
On 16-Feb-43 while serving as Waist Gunner on B-24D 41-23818 'Texan II' the aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with B-24D 42-40354 "Sanfu" 44BG/66BS off the English coast near Selsey Bill, Sussex and crashed into the English Channel. Killed in Action (KIA)
Air Medal, Purple Heart
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 16 February 1943
- Date: 3 January 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Pathway
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Returned to Duty (RTD) |
Aberporth, Ceredigion, UK | 3 January 1943 | On 3-Jan-43 in B-24D 41-23808 "Texan" while serving as Waist Gunner, the aircraft made a crash-landing in a field near Aberporth, Cardiganshire when it ran out of fuel upon return from a mission to St. Nazaire, France. |
Born |
Northville, Michigan, USA | ||
Buried |
|||
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
Selsey Bill, Selsey, Chichester, West Sussex PO20, UK | 16 February 1943 | Killed in B-24D 41-23818 "Texan II" sustained a mid-air collision with B-24D 42-40345 "Snafu" 44BG/66BS off the coast of Selsey Bill, Sussex. Both aircraft crashed into the English Channel. His remains were never recovered. |
Other Commemorated |
Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Madingley Road, Coton, Cambridgeshire CB23 7PH, UK | Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery |
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2015. Added Tail Gunner to role per MACR 4697.
Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2015. Added decoration and Commemorated event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) record; confirmed SN and added KIA event per MACR 4697; Made connections to Place, 2 AIrcraft and 2 Missions within existing website data; Added RTD event, Edited biography for chronological order, added target and loss details per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4697 & 3302 A / MACR 4697,Losses of the 8th and 9th Air Forces Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey pp. 61-62, 79; 44th BG Roll of Honor and Casualties by Lundy pp. 41, 50, The 44th BG in WWII by MacKay and Adams pp.27, 32., WWII Memorial web site / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database