Crew Roster · Personal File

Edwin W. Ritter

Sgt. Edwin W. Ritter (ASN 16070712) served as Ball Turret Gunner on the same aircraft as 2nd Lt. Boggan on the mission of 1 August 1944, north of Paris near St Denis. Boggan stated that he believed all crew members had sufficient warning to bail out, as the emergency bell was rung in adequate time. However, he saw only two parachutes open after leaving the aircraft and had no contact with any other crew members after landing. Ritter's fate following the bailout is unknown from this document.

Sortie Log

1 CATALOGUED SORTIE
01 AUG 1944

The sorties below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.

8AF Mission

Date

Target

Aircraft

№ 508

01 AUG 1944

Target unrecorded

On 1 August 1944, the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire north of Paris, near St Denis. Engines No. 3 and No. 4 were knocked out, and the right wing was full of flak holes causing excessive fuel loss. The crew bailed out at approximately 17,000 feet. Bombardier Boggan observed only two parachutes open, presumably those of the navigator and nose gunner. The aircraft is believed to have exploded on striking the ground. Boggan believed all crew members had time to bail out as the emergency bell was rung with adequate warning. The aircraft departed from Hardwick at 12:00. Boggan did not examine the wreckage, and the plane did not crash in water. All secret papers and equipment were destroyed to the best of his knowledge.

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