Major Raymond Elledge flew with the 506th Fighter Squadron as part of the 404th Fighter Group based at Winkton Advanced Landing Ground near Bournemouth on the South Coast of England. They then moved out to Normandy to offer closer support to the Allied ground forces.

Elledge was shot down during a strafing & bombing mission by ground flak. In "Leap Off" the 404th's Group History, his last airborne moments are described thus...

On the sixth and last mission of the day, which also was unable to bomb its target, seven miles northwest of St. Lo, Major Ray Elledge was hit by light flak which knocked out his engine. He went into a glide toward the gunners that had shot him down, strafing all the way, and bellied in. Slightly wounded, he was captured immediately by members of the Panzer Lehr Division, April 29, 1945, he and Gillespie were both "returned to military control."

The Gillespie in question is the same Gillespie that appears on these pages as they were held in the shed at the same time (along with Sheppard, Willen & Harder).

For more information on the 506th & the other Squadrons that made up the 404th Fighter Group, there is an excellent website run by John Levesley who kindly provided copies of Leap Off & the accompanying photographs of both Elledge & Gillespie... here's a link: http://www.winkton.net/

Elledge was flying P47 Thunderbolts at the time & here's a photo of the sort of 'plane he was flying...

And here's the Squadron logo: