He took off in a P-47 from Duxford on an escort mission to Vitry, France. The flight went down to strafe a troop train near Liffol-Le-Grand and on the third pass there was a flash from Capt. Lay's engine. He pulled up to about 1,800 feet, did a wing-over to the left and crashed about one mile WNW of Sompui, 31 miles north of Troyes, France. Capt. Lay bailed out , his parachute opened at 300 feet, and he was seen running into a forest. He may have been wounded or shot at on the ground, as he was sent to a hospital in Chalon-sur-Marne after his capture. Capt. Lay was one of the lead pilots of the 91st Bomber Group on 19 August 1943, flying "Oklahoma Okie". After completing his tour of duty, he became a fighter pilot with the 78th Fighter Group.
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U.S. Army Service No. (ASN): #O-664412
Enlistment Date: 01/12/1942 with Service No. #18069556
Entered the Service from: Colorado
84th Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart
Harry T. Lay is listed as Died Of Wounds in the 1946 Army and Army Air Forces Personnel Casualty List for Denver County, Colorado.
U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949 lists the name and address of his Next of Kin as:
Mrs. Weta R. Lay (Mother)
1439 Detroit Street
Denver, Colorado
***I would like to thank Brian Kueker Find A Grave ID 47384926 for adding his photo of Harry to this memorial***
***I would like to thank JoCarter Find A Grave ID 49170748 for adding their photo of Harry to this memorial***
***I would like to thank Sam Pennartz Find A Grave ID 47381848 for adding his photo of Harry to this memorial***
***I would like to thank Jaap Vermeer Find A Grave ID 47735775 for adding his photos to this memorial***
***I would like to thank Andy Find A Grave ID 48021049 for adding his photos to this memorial***
***I would like to thank ernie Find A Grave ID 48454782 for linking his parents to this memorial***
He took off in a P-47 from Duxford on an escort mission to Vitry, France. The flight went down to strafe a troop train near Liffol-Le-Grand and on the third pass there was a flash from Capt. Lay's engine. He pulled up to about 1,800 feet, did a wing-over to the left and crashed about one mile WNW of Sompui, 31 miles north of Troyes, France. Capt. Lay bailed out , his parachute opened at 300 feet, and he was seen running into a forest. He may have been wounded or shot at on the ground, as he was sent to a hospital in Chalon-sur-Marne after his capture. Capt. Lay was one of the lead pilots of the 91st Bomber Group on 19 August 1943, flying "Oklahoma Okie". After completing his tour of duty, he became a fighter pilot with the 78th Fighter Group.
*************************************************************************
U.S. Army Service No. (ASN): #O-664412
Enlistment Date: 01/12/1942 with Service No. #18069556
Entered the Service from: Colorado
84th Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart
Harry T. Lay is listed as Died Of Wounds in the 1946 Army and Army Air Forces Personnel Casualty List for Denver County, Colorado.
U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949 lists the name and address of his Next of Kin as:
Mrs. Weta R. Lay (Mother)
1439 Detroit Street
Denver, Colorado
***I would like to thank Brian Kueker Find A Grave ID 47384926 for adding his photo of Harry to this memorial***
***I would like to thank JoCarter Find A Grave ID 49170748 for adding their photo of Harry to this memorial***
***I would like to thank Sam Pennartz Find A Grave ID 47381848 for adding his photo of Harry to this memorial***
***I would like to thank Jaap Vermeer Find A Grave ID 47735775 for adding his photos to this memorial***
***I would like to thank Andy Find A Grave ID 48021049 for adding his photos to this memorial***
***I would like to thank ernie Find A Grave ID 48454782 for linking his parents to this memorial***
Inscription
HARRY T. LAY
CAPT 84 FTR SQ 78 FTR GP
COLORADO JULY 20 1944
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