World War II Honoree

Russell Ray Dougherty

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Edmond, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE ON FEBRUARY 25, 1941 WHILE ATTENDING COLLEGE. SERVED AS A LINK TRAINER INSTRUCTOR BEFORE ENTERING THE ARMY AIR FORCES TRAINING SCHOOLS. APPLIED, AND WAS SELECTED FOR AIRCREW TRAINING IN THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM AS A PILOT. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF TRAINING, WAS EARMARKED FOR FOLLOW-ON TRAINING ON HEAVY BOMBER AIRCRAFT, AWARDED HIS SILVER PILOT WINGS AND WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. NEXT, ASSIGNED FOR TRANSITION FLYING TRAINING IN THE B-24 'LIBERATOR' BOMBER AIRCRAFT HE WOULD FLY IN COMBAT. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER, INCLUDING AT LUBBOCK ARMY AIR FIELD, TEXAS. DEPLOYED OVERSEAS IN 1942 AND SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 424TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (HEAVY), 307TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (HEAVY), 13TH AIR FORCE. THE GROUP WAS KNOWN AS 'THE LONG RANGERS' DUE TO THEIR LONG MISSIONS OVER VAST OPEN STRETCHES OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. HIS B-24 SQUADRON WAS STATIONED ON GUADALCANAL IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS AND FLEW COMBAT MISSIONS PRIMARILY IN THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREAS, ATTACKING JAPANESE AIRFIELDS, INSTALLATIONS, AND SHIPPING IN THE SOLOMON AND BISMARCK ISLANDS. PARTICIPATED IN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC, GUADALCANAL, NEW GUINEA, AND NORTHERN SOLOMONS CAMPAIGNS. AS A HOBBY AND DIVERSION FROM COMBAT, HE FASHIONED FINGER RINGS MADE FROM ALUMINUM PARTS FROM WRECKED PLANES. SECOND LIEUTENANT DOUGHERTY DIED ON APRIL 19, 1943 WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON TAKEOFF FOR A BOMBING MISSION IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS, WHILE HE WAS SERVING AS THE CO-PILOT. HIS PLANE WENT DOWN THAT AFTERNOON JUST A SHORT WAY FROM THE FIELD. THE CREW WAS KILLED INSTANTLY AND DID NOT SUFFER FROM THE FLAMES THAT SHORTLY ENGULFED THE PLANE. THE BODIES OF THE 9-MAN CREW WERE RECOVERED AND BURIED THE FOLLOWING DAY IN THE ARMY, NAVY AND MARINE CEMETERY, CACTUS ON GUADALCANAL. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.