Foil: 6 Panel: Distinguished Flying Cross Society Column: 3 Line: 58

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

1st Lt. Stanley Gray was a Bombardier with the 828th Bomb Squadron of the 485th Bomb Group, the 55th Wing and the 15th Air Force stationed in Venosa, Italy. From September 1944 to April 1945 when the war in Europe ended, he flew 35 missions over Southern Europe. Actually, we went as far north as Southern Poland. On a mission over Vienna we were carrying 100 pound bombs in clusters. In one of the bomb racks, the bottom two bombs did not release and the other eight bombs fell on top of them and did not leave the plane. I went to the bomb bays and threw each loose bomb out of the plane - over Vienna - and then, with much difficulty, because the shackle was frozen, finally got the bottom two bombs to drop. I don't know how long it took to get the last two bombs out, but I was on my third walk-around oxygen bottle when I was finished. I was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for that mission. I am proud to be a member of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society and I was honored by being elected President of the Southeast Florida Chapter. The members of the DFC Society have three things in common: We volunteered to fly -we flew in combat against an enemy of the United States - and we were shot at. I believe that the people who make up the Distinguished Flying Cross Society represent a strong part of the true Spirit of America.