Ross Twins
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- Joined: 05/01/2009
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James S. Ross 97th bomb group, 342nd squadron
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05/01/2009 02:02:13 PM
( #1 )
Our father, James S. Ross, was assigned to the 97th Bomb Group out of Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas on April 24, 1942. Lt. Ross sailed on the Queen Elizabeth on the 4th of June 1942 and arrived in Clyde England on the 10th of June 1942 for duty with the Eighth Air Force. He was with the 97th Bombardment (Heavy) Group, 342nd Squadron, and entered combat in mid-August 1942 to 1 Aug 1943. The 97th Bomb Group left Polebrook on the 18th of November 1942 for Hurn, prior to flying directly to North Africa and was assigned to the Twelfth Air Force in the Mediterranean Theater.
James Ross finished his 50 missions on 12 July 1943 and returned to the United States on 4 August 1943 via C-54. Overseas for two years and three months, he participated in American theater patrol, 50 combat missions 375:75 Combat Hrs, B-17, (EAME) in the European Theater of Operations, and 28 combat missions, 414:25 Combat Hrs, B-29, Asiatic-Pacific in the Pacific theater.
After talking to quite a few of the people that served with the 97th Bomb Group, I still have not been able to locate any aircraft or crews that James Ross flew with. I do have reason to believe that he was the pilot (Aircraft Commander) of the aircraft where 1st Lt. Slaughter received his foot injury on mission #128 over Messina, Italy on 25 June 1943.
I also know that my father, James S. Ross, was also known as James E. Ross. Both of them have the same military serial number.
If anyone knows about any of his missions, personnel who served with him or aircraft that he might have flown, please let me know.
Paul Ross
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