Roy served as a First Lieutenant, 92nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Enid, Garfield County, Oklahoma prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on December 20, 1941 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Telegraph operator and also as Married.

Roy was a passenger on C-47A #43-15046 which was assigned to the 92nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group. He served the Air Force as a Pilot.

C-47A #43-15046 was en route from Greenham Common, England to Châteaudun, France, taking US servicemen back to France after having leave in the UK. There were 30 people on board which included 4 crew members, 23 airmen that were assigned to the 92nd Troop Carrier Squadron; two French civilians; and one airmen that was from Group Headquarters of the 9th Air Force Troop Carrier Command.

Of those on the flight, 25 crew and passengers were killed and 5 were injured.

Roy died in the "Line Of Duty" when this C-47 crashed probably due to being forced to the ground by turbulent weather 5 km northeast of Brighton, England during the war.

He was previously awarded the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters.

Son of Mary E. Ives who resided in Enid, Oklahoma.

Service # O-806834

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Known crew members who perished on
C-47A #43-15046:

Reid, Donald Q ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, OK

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Passengers & Crew who perished on
C-47A #43-15046:
( Known Passengers Noted )

Alba, Joseph H ~ Sgt, Passenger, PA
Barron, Russell W ~ 2nd Lt, NY
D'Andrea, Barbato C ~ Sgt, Passenger, NY
Evanick, Charles W ~ Pfc, Passenger, NY
Gritz, Roy L ~ 1st Lt, OK
Hackett, Arthur M ~ S/Sgt, Passenger, NH
Hansen, Walter J ~ Sgt, MI
Hesser, Jake E ~ Sgt, Passenger, OK
Hickson, William, Jr ~ Sgt, Passenger, SC
Holley, James H, Jr ~ S/Sgt, Passenger, AL
Horstick, Donald S ~ S/Sgt, Passenger, PA
Jones, Richard M ~ Corp, Passenger, CA
Kokko, Paul A ~ Corp, Passenger, MN
Lariviere, Roland L Pvt, Passenger, MA
Lis, Stanley E ~ 1st Lt, Passenger, IL
Miller, Sherman W ~ Sgt, Passenger, MO
Mills, Harold F ~ Sgt, Passenger, MO
Mixner, Frank R ~ Pvt, Passenger, PA
Peacock, Byron G ~ Pfc, Passenger, CO
Sobkowiak, Felix R ~ Sgt, Passenger, IL
Tremaine, Glenn F ~ Sgt, MI
White, Howard F ~ T/Sgt, Passenger, TX
Young, John H ~ T/Sgt, Passenger, IL
Unknown French Civilian

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Survivors from C-47A #43-15046:

Ackerman, Eric ~ Corp, burns & injuries
Hacking, Bryce D ~ Sgt, burns & injuries
James, Walter J ~ T/Sgt, Navigator, Severe burns
Toglia, Orazio R ~ Sgt, burns & injuries
Unknown Frenchman ~ Severe injuries

( Bio & Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )

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