World War II Honoree

Ross Wright

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Plato, Missouri

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED AS A GUNNER ABOARD B-24 'LIBERATOR' HEAVY BOMBER AIRCRAFT OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER DURING THE WAR. ON HIS 10TH MISSION, HIS BOMBER WAS SHOT DOWN NEAR VIENNA, AUSTRIA AND HE WAS TAKEN AS A PRISONER OF WAR (POW). HELD AT STALAG LUFT 4 NEAR WARSAW, POLAND. AS RUSSIAN FORCES ADVANCED, HE AND HIS FELLOW POWS WERE FORCED TO RELOCATE WESTWARD INTO GERMANY. THEY HAD TO WALK, ON WHAT WAS FOR MANY A 'DEATH MARCH,' TOWARD THE DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP IN BAVARIA NEAR MUNICH, GERMANY. IN TOTAL, HE AND OTHERS HAD TO MARCH SOME 886 MILES. LIBERATED BY BRITISH FORCES ON MAY 2, 1945 AND REPATRIATED. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.