World War II Honoree

Raymond John 'Ray' Vos

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Albany, Minnesota

Honored By

William Oehrlein

Relationship

Cousin

He joined the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1942. He was assigned to the 429th and 96th Bombardment Squadrons, 2nd Bombardment Group as a waist gunner on B-17 bombers. He saw action in North Africa and subsequently participated in bombing missions over European locations flying out of Amendola (Foggia), Italy. He was wounded by flak on his third mission over Romania. Belatedly, on his 64th birthday he was awarded the Purple Heart. On July 16, 1944, while on Group mission #233 to bomb the Winterhafen oil refinery, his plane A/C #42-102932, was downed over Vienna, Austria by a direct flak hit that blew off the entire nose section. He delayed his departure from the stricken plane to assist the copilot, who had both legs broken and was weak from blood loss, to parachute from the plane via the bomb bay doors, saving the copilot's life. He then followed the copilot out the bomb bay. He was captured by the Germans and remained a Prisoner of War for the remainder of the war until his Camp was liberated by the Russian Army in May, 1945. In recognition of his courage to stay with the stricken plane and assist the copilot, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1987. The award was initiated by the copilot whose life he saved.