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Ruth Less Crew B0826a78b2f6b542b503230ccc9424e94cb0af85 R
Ruth Less Crew B0826a78b2f6b542b503230ccc9424e94cb0af85 R
Ruth Less Crew B0826a78b2f6b542b503230ccc9424e94cb0af85 R
Ruth Less Crew B0826a78b2f6b542b503230ccc9424e94cb0af85 R
Ruth Less Crew B0826a78b2f6b542b503230ccc9424e94cb0af85 R
Ruth Less Crew B0826a78b2f6b542b503230ccc9424e94cb0af85 R
Ruth Less Crew B0826a78b2f6b542b503230ccc9424e94cb0af85 R
Ruth Less Crew B0826a78b2f6b542b503230ccc9424e94cb0af85 R
Ruth Less Crew B0826a78b2f6b542b503230ccc9424e94cb0af85 R

Incoming Message: Classified, Ruth-less

Along with 94 other B-24 Liberators of the 2nd Air Division, “Ruth-less”, B-24 tail #41-24282, rumbled down the runway at Shipdham, in East Anglia, England.  The bomber was named in honor of the pilot’s girlfriend, Ruth: since he was away from her, he called himself, and his bomber, “Ruth-less.”

Their target was a mysterious construction site at Pas-de-Calais, on the coast of France. Although the purpose of the site was yet unknown, it would turn out to be one of the launching ramps for the German V-1 rocket.

First LT James O. Bolin, of Joplin, MO, was the pilot of the Ruth-less.  Shortly after dropping their bombs during the brief flight, the bomber received flak damage to the Number 3 and Number 4 engines (both engines on the right wing of the plane).

It was certain that the wounded bomber could not make it back to its base. However, as is so often the case, the weather in England that day was poor.  While attempting to find a landing area, “Ruth-Less” crashed into a hill, killing all aboard.  There above the town of Eastbourne, Sussex, the flight of Ruth-Less ended.

Three members of the crew are buried at the Cambridge American Cemetery in England; the rest were returned to the United States after the war.  The crew in the photo above (thankfully for them) are not the crew aboard the “Ruth-less” in this famous final mission.

The crew of the “Ruth-less” on this fateful flight (again, not pictured) were:

  • James O. Bolin, Pine Bluff, AR
  • Harold W. Schwab, Bronx, NY
  • Orville L.Wulff, DeSmet, SD
  • Edward J. Ackerman, Brooklyn, NY
  • James H. Bales, Dayton, TN
  • Chester H. Yurick, Needham, MA
  • George M. Dewald, Norristown, PA
  • Aubrey J. Maloy, Hacoda, AL
  • Ralph E. Strait Saluvia, PA
  • James L. Wilson, Easley, SC

In all, the Second Air Division lost four B-24s this date, a very low total. Like “Ruth-less,” another crashed on return from the mission, while one other went down over France, and another over the North Sea.

A memorial marks the crash site of “Ruth-less” in Eastbourne. Below is a moving video by Steve Edwards. The video is in tribute to this heroic crew and to Arthur King, who witnessed the crash, and who climbed the hill to the memorial every Remembrance Sunday for 50 years to lay flowers there. Lest we forget.

  1. Richard DaughertyRichard Daugherty02-29-2016

    I would be most interested in any information you have about James Bales from Dayton, TN. I, too, live in Dayton, TN.

    • Bill BeigelBill Beigel03-01-2016

      Hi Richard: Thanks for your interest. TSGT Bales died shortly after the crash at St. Mark’s Hospital, near where “Ruth-Less” went down. In the confusion after the crash, his mother was sent some personal effects from another member of the crew by mistake. Best regards, Bill

  2. SharonSharon06-06-2018

    I am Aubrey Maloy’s cousin. My mother talked about him often. I would be interested in any information that you may have on him. I am sharing this with my class today and talking about the great men on this flight. Thank you for sharing this with us. I hope to someday visit the memorial.

    • Bill BeigelBill Beigel06-06-2018

      Great to hear about you sharing this with your class. I have the official crash report for the loss of “Ruth-Less”, as well as the specific file for SSGT Maloy (hometown address was Hacoda, AL). I researched the entire crew some years ago; quite an extensive project. Via Dropbox, I will send you his file shortly. Best, Bill

  3. AmandaAmanda08-22-2020

    I would like to communicate with you privately regarding a member of this flight crew. Please contact me via email so that I may explain my interest.

  4. PaulPaul08-28-2020

    Hi Bill. So this is dredging up an old report, but I’m very curious… We just found out about this. The only thing we know about my grandfather is that his name was James Lee Wilson, and disappeared during the war.

    DNA research has led to Wilson family in South Carolina, just hoping to try to piece together more information.

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