Ronald Emerson Bartley was born on June 28, 1921. He was the son of Raymond Edwin "Ray" Bartley and Pearle Ione Emerson Bartley. He served in the 510th Bomber Squadron, 351st Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Flight Officer and Co-Pilot of B-17 #42-31763 nicknamed ''Ten Horsepower'' during World War II.

On February 20, 1944, the opening day of “Big Week” (Operation Argument), the B-17G Ten Horsepower departed RAF Polebrook for a deep-penetration mission to Leipzig. Over the target area, the bomber came under heavy attack from enemy fighters. A 20 mm burst killed the co-pilot, left the pilot gravely wounded and unconscious, and injured the radio operator, while the aircraft itself suffered severe structural damage. Even so, the crew managed to stabilize the Fortress and turn it back toward England. Once over home territory, the surviving crew members were ordered to bail out. The Navigator and Flight Engineer, however, chose to remain aboard with the stricken pilot and attempt a landing. Despite orders to abandon the effort, they refused to leave him behind. After two failed approaches, Ten Horsepower crashed on its third attempt near Polebrook, killing all three aboard.

FO Bartley was Killed in Action on the struck and is now buried in the Custer National Cemetery, Crow Agency, Big Horn County, Montana, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.honorstates.org, www.thisdayinaviation.com