Greening, Charles Ross, Col

Deceased
 
 Service Photo   Service Details
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Last Rank
Colonel
Primary Unit
1943-1945, Status - POW/MIA
Service Years
1936 - 1957
Officer srcset=
Colonel

 Last Photo   Personal Details 

15 kb


Home State
Iowa
Iowa
Year of Birth
1914
 
This Military Service Page was created/owned by SSgt Robert Bruce McClelland, Jr. to remember Greening, Charles Ross, Col.

If you knew or served with this Airman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
 
Contact Info
Home Town
Hoquiam, Washington
Last Address
Bethesda Navy Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland
Date of Passing
Mar 29, 1957
 
Location of Interment
Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Wall/Plot Coordinates
Section 6, Site 9161-D-RH

 Official Badges 




 Unofficial Badges 

Cold War Medal Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Gold Medal


 Military Associations and Other Affiliations
National Cemetery Administration (NCA)In the Line of DutyAir Force Memorial (AFM)
  1957, National Cemetery Administration (NCA)
  2017, In the Line of Duty
  2017, Air Force Memorial (AFM) - Assoc. Page


 Additional Information
Last Known Activity:

He was the pilot in crew #11 on the Doolittle Raid. It was necessary to both increase the range of the B-25's and not to risk the top-secret Norden bombsights.  As the unit armament officer, Capt. Greening was instrumental in reducing the aircraft's weight and adding extra fuel tanks. He also devised a 20-cent replacement bomb sight that actually worked better than the Norden at low altitudes. While serving again with the 17th Bomb group in North Africa, he was shot down over Italy and captured by the Germans. After 2 months, he escaped and was at liberty for 6 months but was then recaptured and spent the rest of the war in a POW camp.
After the war, he continued to serve in the USAAF and USAF in the US except for a brief period as Air Attaché to Australia and New Zealand.  

His DFC citation:

Awarded for actions during World War II

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Charles Ross Greening (ASN: 0-22443), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement as Pilot of a B-25 Bomber of the 1st Special Aviation Project (Doolittle Raider Force), while participating in a highly destructive raid on the Japanese mainland on 18 April 1942. Captain Greening with 79 other officers and enlisted men volunteered for this mission knowing full well that the chances of survival were extremely remote, and executed his part in it with great skill and daring. This achievement reflects high credit on himself and the military service.

Action Date: April 18, 1942

Service: Army Air Forces

Rank: Captain

Company: 1st Special Aviation Project

Division: Doolittle Tokyo Raider Force
Crew #11 (aircraft # 40-2249, "Hari Kari-er", target Yokohama), 34th Bomb Sq. (except 1)), L-R: Lt Frank A. Kappeler, navigator; Capt C. Ross Greening (89th Recon Sq), pilot; Sgt Melvin J. Gardner, flight engineer/gunner; Lt Kenneth E. Reddy, co-pilot; SSgt William L. Birch, bombardier. (USAF photo)

   
Other Comments:

Sources:
http://www.veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=1890
http://www.doolittleraider.com/raiders/greening.htm
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/crgreening.htm
http://www.fold3.com/page/461702164_col_charles_ross_ross_greening/
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=41499308
http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=30181
http://bombgroup17.com/home

   

  1940-1942, AAF MOS 1081, 89th Reconnaissance Squadron

Captain
From Month/Year
June / 1940
To Month/Year
February / 1942
Unit
89th Reconnaissance Squadron Unit Page
Rank
Captain
AFSC/MOS
AAF MOS 1081-Pilot, B-25
Base, Station or City
McChord Field, WA: Pendleton Field, OR.
State/Country
Oregon
   
 Patch
 89th Reconnaissance Squadron Details

89th Reconnaissance Squadron
Type
Reconnaissance
 
Parent Unit
Reconnaissance Units
Strength
Squadron
Created/Owned By
Not Specified
   

Last Updated: Apr 6, 2023
   
   
Yearbook
 
My Photos For This Unit
No Available Photos
14 Members Also There at Same Time
89th Reconnaissance Squadron

Emmens, Robert Gabel, Col, (1937-1964) A23 AAF MOS 1081 First Lieutenant
Joyce, Richard Outcalt, Lt Col, (1937-1955) A23 AAF MOS 1081 First Lieutenant
Sims, Jack Ahren, Col, (1940-1968) A23 AAF MOS 1081 Second Lieutenant
Stork, J. Royden, Capt, (1940-1946) A23 AAF MOS 1081 Second Lieutenant
Williams, Griffith Paul, Maj, (1940-1952) A23 AAF MOS 1081 Second Lieutenant
Hilger, John Allen, Brig Gen, (1932-1966) A23 AAF MOS 1060 Major
Herndon, Nolan Anderson, Maj, (1940-1945) A08 AAF MOS 1034 First Lieutenant
Crouch, Horace Ellis, Lt Col, (1937-1962) A08 AAF MOS 1036 Second Lieutenant
Kappeler, Frank Albert, Lt Col, (1936-1966) A08 AAF MOS 1034 Second Lieutenant
Macia, James Herbert, Col, (1940-1973) A08 AAF MOS 1036 Second Lieutenant
Bain, Edwin Vance, MSgt, (1936-1943) A25 AAF MOS 707 Technical Sergeant
Eierman, Jacob, Maj, (1935-1957) A07 AAF MOS 737 Staff Sergeant
Horton, Edwin Weston, MSgt, (1935-1958) A01 AAF MOS 678 Staff Sergeant
Larkin, George Elmer, SSgt, (1939-1942) A07 AAF MOS 737 Sergeant

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