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Veterans of The Mighty Eighth: The Oregon Air National Guard’s connections to the Eighth Air Force of World War II

First Lieutenant Raymond J. LeDoux was a B-17 navigator assigned to the 601st Bomb Squadron of the 398th Bomb Group based at Nuthumpstead, England. This picture with him and his crew was taken a month after the October 15, 1944 mission to Cologne in which his aircraft was hit by flak, the togglier killed and the badly damaged aircraft’s harrowing journey home. The crew consisted of, back row (viewer's left to right): 1st Lt. Lawrence DeLancey, Pilot; 2nd Lt. Grady Cumby, Co-Pilot; Overlaid Oval: S/Sgt. George E. Abbott, Waist Gunner (but was cross-trained as togglier and was killed in that position on 15 October 1944 when a German anti-aircraft shell creased the chin turret and filleted the nose and cockpit); 2nd Lt. Michael Patrick Ryan, Bombardier; 1st Lt. Raymond J. Ledoux, Navigator. In the front row (viewer's left to right) are: T/Sgt. Benjamin H. Ruckel, Flight Engineer/top turret gunner; probably S/Sgt. Albert Albro, Ball Turret; T/Sgt. Wendell Reed, Radio; probably S/Sgt. Herbert D. Guild, Tail Gunner. LeDoux joined the Oregon Air National Guard after the war and other LeDoux family members also served in the Oregon ANG. (398th Bomb Group Memorial Association)

PHOTO BY: courtesy asset
VIRIN: 221110-Z-F3895-1006.JPG
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