Ira Leonard Ball was born at home in western Major County, Oklahoma on July 13, 1922, near a town called Fairbanks (which no longer exists). His family called him Leonard. His parents were Ira Robert Ball (22 Jul 1888 – 2 Nov 1980), who was born at Glen Elder, Mitchell County, Kansas; and Ruth Elizabeth (Lemmons) Ball (6 Mar 1896 – 29 Dec 1988), who was born in Kansas. His parents married at Fairbanks, Major County, Oklahoma on December 24, 1914. His father was a farmer.

His siblings were Robert Ball (1915 – 1915), who died as an infant; Elsie Isabelle (Ball) Conaway (4 Sep 1917 – 28 Nov 1990); Charles Linzy Ball (24 Jan 1920 – 10 May 1962) (called Linzy); Mary Leota (Ball) Gibson (abt 1924 – unk); and George Alfred Ball (5 May 1926 – 17 Jan 2016) (called Alfred). In 1942 the family lived 3 miles north and 26 miles west of Fairview, in Major County, Oklahoma.

He completed one year of college, and worked as a farmer. He registered for the draft at Fairview, Oklahoma on June 29, 1942. He was 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighed 180 pounds, and had brown eyes and black hair. At that time he worked for a Mr Raymond Harmon in Belva, Oklahoma. He was single and resided in New Mexico when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Enid, Oklahoma on August 14, 1942. His home of record was Fairview, Major County, Oklahoma.

He completed Army Air Forces pilot training, and was assigned to the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group (Heavy). This Group was based at U.S. Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. He was promoted to First Lieutenant on August 30, 1944.

On December 24, 1944, the 8th Air Force launched mission #760, the largest aerial mission of the war, which involved more than 2000 heavy bombers. The mission was to bomb German airfields and supply lines, to stop the German offensive in the Ardennes known as the Battle of the Bulge. The 487th Bomb Group led the entire 8th Air Force on this mission. Lt Ball's crew flew B-17G 43-37569 in the number five position of the 487th Bomb Group's Low Squadron. The 487th Bomb Group's target was the airfield at Babenhausen, Germany, but the formation was attacked by German fighters before reaching the target. Lt Ball and six of his crewmates were killed in action when their aircraft was shot down by German fighters south of Liege, Belgium. The aircraft broke up and most of the wreckage fell in the Ambleve River at Gouffre d'Aywaille, at about 50.4763°N, 5.6577°E. (Gouffre d'Aywaille is the gulf of the Ambleve River near Aywaille—a wider, deeper section of the river just west of Aywaille.) The tail section fell in a small stone quarry near the hamlet of Chambralles, just west of Septroux, Belgium. Two men survived.

Lt Ball is now buried in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Hombourg, Belgium.

B-17G 43-37569 crew:
• Ball, Ira L – 1/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Tomea Jr, Gordon R – 1/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Sperber, Harold P – 1/Lt – Navigator – Safe
• Broom, John C – 1/Lt – Bombardier – Safe
• Parks, Warren H – T/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
• Lull, Robert H – T/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Gaudin Jr, Duffy J – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA
• Conery, John J – S/Sgt – Waist gunner – KIA
• Becker, Cuno V – 1/Lt – Officer Tail Gunner – KIA

Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com