Hicks, Ralph Benjamin

Individual Personnel Data
Name Hicks, Ralph Benjamin
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-761941
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #140 dated 17 July 1944, effective 17 July 1944.
Duty Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 2 January 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 8 June 1917
  • Promoted from 2Lt to 1LT effective 15 August 1944 per HQ 8th AF SO #220 (547th BS Morning Report dated 20 August 1944).
  • Placed on approximately seven days Temporary Duty (TD) to Alconbury, AAF Station 132 on 7 October 1944, purpose Training Activities per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #198 dated 6 October 1944.
  • Placed on seven days Temporary Duty (TD) to 8th Air Force Rest Home, Stanbridge Earls, AAF Station 503 (a Flak house) on 26 October 1944 to carry out the instructions of the Commanding General per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #211 dated 25 October 1944.
Related Documents Accident Report # 44-10-19-526⇓ (2.858 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Hicks, Ralph BenjaminPilotCT
2nd Lt. Niederlitz, Donald Edward⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Miller, Dan Owens⇗NavigatorCT
Flt. Ofcr. Scheanwald, Richard James⇗BombardierCT
S/SGT. Frerichs, Earl Edward⇗Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Townsend, Perry Houston, Jr⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Laine, William Jewel⇗Ball Turret GunnerTBD
CPL. Manners, Dale Melvin⇗Tail GunnerCT
SGT. Weeks, Melvin Francis⇗Flexible GunnerCT
SGT. Snyder, Norman Anderson⇗Flexible GunnerTBD
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 35 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
167⇗ 29 July 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97204⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
168⇗ 31 July 1944 Target: Aero Engine Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Munich / München, Germany 		Pilot 42‑31222⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
169⇗ 1 August 1944 Target: Railroad Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Chartres, France 		Pilot 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
170⇗ 3 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Fleury, Flers, Fiefs, France 		Pilot 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
I Group, Low Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
171⇗ 4 August 1944 Target: Rocket Research & Development Complex
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Peenemünde, Germany 		Pilot 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
176⇗ 9 August 1944 Target: Erding Airdrome & Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Erding, Germany 		Pilot 44‑8011⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section deputy, lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
177⇗ 11 August 1944 Target: Tactical: Coastal Artillery Emplacements
Type: Military
Location: Brest, France 		Pilot 42‑97150⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
178⇗ 12 August 1944 Target: "Landing Ground"
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: La Perthe, France 		Pilot 44‑6105⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group.
Sortie Report⇗
180⇗ 14 August 1944 Target: Echterdingen Airdrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Stuttgart, Germany 		Pilot 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High group.
Sortie Report⇗
183⇗ 24 August 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High section deputy, high group.
Sortie Report⇗
186⇗ 30 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France 		Pilot 42‑97263⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
188⇗ 5 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Pilot 43‑37713⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 44‑8011.
Sortie Report⇗
189⇗ 8 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
192⇗ 11 September 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Lützkendorf & Merseburg, Germany 		Pilot 43‑37843⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report⇗
194⇗ 13 September 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Pilot 44‑6080⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
195⇗ 17 September 1944 Target: Tank and Gun Concentrations, Tactical
Type: Military
Location: Eindhoven & 's‑Hertogenbosch (den Bosch), The Netherlands 		Pilot 42‑31222⇗ Combat Mission Credit
F Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
198⇗ 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Pilot 44‑6149⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
199⇗ 26 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Osnabrück, Germany 		Pilot 43‑37990⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
201⇗ 28 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102449⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low group deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
212⇗ 17 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38262⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
-- 19 October 1944 None
Non-combat sortie 		Pilot 44‑8047⇗ Landing gear collapsed on return from a night cross-country training mission. There were no crew injuries.
Sortie Report⇗
215⇗ 25 October 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102449⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Gee-H ship. Took lead at IP and guided Squadron to an attack on the primary target using Gee-H.
Sortie Report⇗
222⇗ 8 November 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant (visual aim point)
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102449⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy. Gee-H and hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
224⇗ 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Pilot 42‑102449⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron Deputy. Gee-H ship. Landed away at Brussels, Belgium, due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
227⇗ 20 November 1944 Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Gee-H ship; low Squadron deputy, 41st Bomb Wing C group.
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Pilot 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy, B group; Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
232⇗ 29 November 1944 Target: Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Misburg, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38752⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
234⇗ 2 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Oberlahnstein, Germany 		Pilot 42‑107125⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
237⇗ 9 December 1944 Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany 		Pilot 43‑38800⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy and lead Squadron hot camera ship. Assumed lead after the lead aaircraft developed engine trouble and cound not keep up with formation.
Sortie Report⇗
239⇗ 12 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38800⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
242⇗ 23 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Ehrang, Germany 		Pilot 44‑6592⇗ Weather ship; landed at Woodbridge due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
243⇗ 24 December 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Kirch Göns, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38757⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group. Landed away at Sudbury Airfield, AAF Station 174, due to inclement weather.
Sortie Report⇗
245⇗ 28 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Brühl, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38757⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy. Hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
246⇗ 30 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Limburg, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38800⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
247⇗ 31 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Neuss, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38757⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
249⇗ 2 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gerolstein, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38800⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗

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