Hammerstrom Ralph O.

Monuments

B-17s Chicken Ship, Scarlet Harlot, & Raven's Nest Crash Memorial -457th Bomber Group

Name:

Ralph O. Hammerstrom

Rank:

Second Lieutenant

Serial Number:

Unit:

749th Bomber Squadron, 457th Bomber Group

Date of Death:

2007-04-01

State:

Minnesota

Cemetery:

Holy Cross Cemetery, Spokane, Spokane County, Washington, USA

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Comments:

Ralph O. Hammerstrom was born on December 16, 1921, in Minnesota. He was married to Rose V. Hammerstrom. He served in the 749th Bomb Squadron, 457th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot of B-17 (42-97537) known as "Chicken Ship" during World War II.

On April 9, 1944, during a mission targeting Marienburg (now Malbork, Poland), the plane encountered heavy enemy resistance. After taking flak damage over the target area, "Chicken Ship" lost engine power and fell behind its formation. Three German Focke-Wulf FW 190 fighters attacked, striking the aircraft and forcing the crew to abandon it. All of the crew parachuted safely and became POWs except Flight Engineer Fasone who was instantly killed. 2Lt Ralph was held as a Prisoner of War until his return to U.S. Military Control at the end of hostilities in May 1945. After the war, he went on to work for the Northern Pacific Railway and Burlington Northern Railroad, retiring in 1981. 2Lt Hammerstrom died on April 1, 2007, and is now buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery, Spokane, Spokane County, Washington, USA.

Source of information: b17flyingfortress.de, www.findagrave.com