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Posted by: Nick Jan 19 2009, 06:40 PM

Just found this air medal I had, By going through some of my boxs.I for got I had this medal. This is my only Army Air force air medal that I have. His Name is Cory H. Grant, First Lt. He was from Montana . He was Shot down by emeny fire on june 23,1944. Just 17 days after D, Day.
His plane was a P-38 J , 38th fighter squadron, 55th fighter group. This is all the info I have so far that I found on him.


Nick

Posted by: Bluehawk Jan 19 2009, 07:18 PM

Thanks for showing it...

Posted by: 3mxd Jan 24 2009, 01:14 PM

Actually his name is Grant H. Cory. You can find a photo of him and a brief description of his loss at the 55FG's web site, http://www.55th.org/. You have to click on the home page's image to enter the web site, then click on "Pilots" in the menu on the left, then click on 38FS which brings up an alphabetical list of all the pilots in the 38th. Each name has a link, just click on Cory's. Unfortunately there's not much information beyond the MACR. Hope this helps.

Posted by: Nick Jan 24 2009, 03:46 PM

3mxd

Thanks for the link. I just down loaded his photo and history on him being shot down.
I was searching on the internet an had no luck. Now its great to have a photo of him. At least now I know what he looks like. And how he was shot down.
I will post his photo for everyone to see.

Nick

Posted by: Nick Jan 24 2009, 03:55 PM

Here is the updated info on him from 3mxd's link.
Very exciting to have this info on him.

Assigned Aircraft P-38J 42-104284

Mission History Not Known

Mission List Not Known

Air Scores 0-0-0

Ground Scores 0-0

Notes MACR No. 06247
Captain Clair Des Voignes reported: "I was leading Hellcat White flight in the vicinity of Dreux, France. I observed flak in the area where Hellcat Blue flight was flying. At approximately 1400 Hellcat Blue was told to break left. I broke to the left. I observed no E/A so made the break a complete 360. I called to the squadron to make a 360, reassemble, and resume course. While making my second 360 I observed where a plane had exploded and gone down on fire. Neither the plane or the pilot were observed. This plane was later identified as that flown by 1/Lt. Grant H. Cory."

Hellcat Blue flight was lead by Captain Snell. His wingman was Lt. Gould, the element leader, (#3) was Lt. Cory and Cory's wingman was Lt. Silk. The 38th Sqdn. was being led by Capt. Des Voignes and his wingman was Lt. Callaghan, the element was led by Lt. Littlefield and his wingman was Lt. Robert Hoffman. The mission for the Group, led by Major Kelly, was to glide bomb the railroad embankment and bridges at Sens, France. The three squadrons of the group put up 49 P-38s for this mission. They took off at 1135 and landed at 1512.

After bombing, the Group turned north and west near Paris, encountering flak, which ceased as four Me-109s came down out of the sun on the rear of Hellcat squadron at 10,000 feet near Dreux. Four more Me-109s serving as top cover came in but broke away before we could engage.

Two men were lost; Cory to flak and Hoffman to enemy aircraft. Lt. Cory was from Montana. His name is on the Wall of the Missing, Brittany American Military Cemetery and Memorial, St. James, France.
(Reproduced with the kind permission of Mr. Robert M. Littlefield, from the author's book, Double Nickel, Double Trouble.)

Posted by: Mark M Sep 5 2009, 05:09 AM

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