Ralph P. Bemis was born on April 18, 1921, in Kansas. He was the son of Ralph W Bemis and Iva H Bemis. He was married to Dorothy Irene Kraus Bemis. He studied at Kansas State University, Army Air Force Cadet program, and enlisted in December 1941.

Ralph served in the 532nd Bomber Squadron, 381st Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot on the B-17 #42-38102 during World War II. He was Killed in Action on March 24, 1944, when their airplane crashed near Bridbrook, England, shortly after take-off from Ridgewell. Mechanical problems were blamed for the accident costing the lives of all crew members - most of whom were flying their first mission. 2Lt Bemis is now buried in the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA, together in the same grave with Sgt Ham, Sgt Sauld, and 2Lt Stahlecker.