Joe Wilson Ripple was born on May 7, 1915, in Texas. He was the son of Joe Anton Ripple and Annie Julia Schiller Ripple. He was married to Chestine Gibbs Ripple.

Joe resided in Concho County, Texas prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on January 18, 1941, prior to the war, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as an Apprentice.

Joe served in the 849th Bomber Squadron, 490th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Technical Sergeant and Radio Operator/Gunner on the B-17G #43-38184 during World War II. He was Killed in Action on September 1, 1944, when his airplane collided with B17 #43-37941.

That day, his crew took off from Station 134 in Eye, Suffolk, on a group mission to Gustavburg, Germany. When the target was not visible through the overcast, their mission was aborted, and the group executed a 180-degree turn to return to base. At 11:59 AM near Anthieux-Sur-Calonne, France, while flying through the dense clouds, his plane collided with the alongside #43-37941 after crossing the French coast at 18,000 feet.

Three of his crewmates were able to evacuate the aircraft and later have recovered from the injuries they sustained upon landing. The rest of the crew members were killed in the crash near Cabourg, France. Both aircraft suffered catastrophic structural failure.

TSgt Ripple Eola Cemetery, Eola, Concho County, Texas, USA is now buried in the -.

Crew members of the B-17G #43-38184:
Major Lamont D Haas - Command Pilot (KIA)
1Lt John Mannon Kirklin - Pilot (Survived)
2Lt Robert E. Russell - Co-Pilot (KIA)
1Lt George J Kurtz III - Navigator (KIA)
2Lt Charles D. Crofts - Bombardier (KIA)
T/Sgt Joe Wilson Ripple - Radio Operator/Gunner (KIA)
T/Sgt Oren W Simpsons - Mechanic/Gunner (Survived)
S/Sgt Lloyd M. Hudson - Ball Turret Gunner (KIA)
S/Sgt Richard V Weber - Waist Gunner (KIA)
S/Sgt William Shiffer Jr - Flight Engineer/Rear Gunner (Survived)

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net