321st Bomb Group "Perserverence, Vision and Duty"

Ray's Dog "POOCHIE"

The Officers helped and Ray was able to bring Poochie back HOME with him.

Ray Lankford flew over the Atlantic in the Original Knapp Group, in the Lt. Leonard Shapiro Ship, #41-29775. . . as with many of the men, switched around until they had found their place. Ray flew almost all of his 50 Missions with the Brinkley Brothers in the SNAFU #41-12930. Hamilton (Big Brink) and Wilton (Little Brink) flew as Pilot and Co-Pilot much of the time. Being a Tail Gunner, Ray was accredited with shooting down 2 enemy ships, the first, 28 May, '43. . .Mission OUDNA. . .an ME 109 with a yellow nose. Then again on 13 April, '43. . .BoRizzo Airdrome, attacked more than 30 fighters, Ray shot down another enemy aircraft.
Ray told his son, Steve, that his guns were "hot" that day !
On 13 Sept. '43, on Ray's 50th Mission, he was wounded by flak and awarded the Purple Heart. Ray went home 25th Oct. '43. Poochie was a big part of his life, she could be seen sitting out there by his ship ready to go. Poochie flew with Ray in the Tail until one particularly "bad Mission" and then she refused to get back in.
After she had puppies, Ray said she was "busted back to Private" for that ! The Officers helped and Ray was able to bring Poochie HOME with him. They were featured in the LA Times.

The Numerical Designation of the Group, Bombs falling, three, two, one.

Raymond D Lankford