Ralph Sherman Metcalf was born on August 14, 1919, in Holliston, Massachusetts. He was married to Doris W. Johnson Metcalf.

Ralph served in the 571st Bomber Squadron, 390th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Right Waist Gunner on the B-17 #42-97295 during World War II.

On May 27, 1944, his crew took off from Station 153 airfield in Framlingham, England, for a mission in Karlsruhe, Germany. At 13:06H, while returning from their mission, their plane was hit by flak and crashed 300 meters east of Cauchie-d'Ecques in the commune of Ecques, France. The plane hooked an electric pylon while attempting a landing. This incident killed five members of the crew, while the other five were able to survive but were taken as prisoners. SSgt Metcalf was one of the survivors. He was seriously injured and was brought to the hospital of St-Omer, then Lille, and was taken to Stalag Luft IV in Gross Tychow, Poland.

SSgt Metcalf died on October 18, 1994, at the age of 75. He is now buried in the Howard Street Cemetery, Northborough, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA.

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