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Contact Info
Home Town Kerman, California
Last Address Otis AFB, Massachusetts
Date of Passing Feb 14, 1951
Location of Interment Oakwood Memorial Park - Santa Cruz, California
He was a quadruple ace in WWII. He was credited with 21.25 victories in aerial combat.
He was killed in an accidental crash of an F-86 at or near Otis AFB.
His DSC citations:
Awarded for actions during World War II
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Ray S. Wetmore (ASN: 0-675960), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter Airplane in the 370th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group, EIGHTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 2 November 1944, during a bomber escort mission over Germany. Upon leaving the target, Captain Wetmore spotted thirty Me-109's which he immediately led his section of six airplanes to engage. He overtook the enemy and by the vigor and daring of his attack broke up the Me-109 formation. Scoring hits on one enemy airplane, he pursued it alone through the undercast to complete its destruction. Alone under the overcast, he then engaged from fifteen to twenty more Me-109's, refusing to break off the action in the face of repeated passes by the enemy pilots although only two of his guns were firing. Despite the overwhelming numerical superiority of the enemy, his cool courage and superb skill as a combat pilot resulted in the destruction of another enemy fighter, and the remaining Me-109's then dispersed. Captain Wetmore's resolute determination to attack and destroy the enemy in the face of every hazard and his eagerness to force combat against heavy odds have been an inspiration to his fellow flyers and reflect highest credit upon himself, the 8th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces. General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Strategic Forces in Europe, General Orders No. 87 (1944)
Awarded for actions during World War II
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Ray S. Wetmore (ASN: 0-675960), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter Airplane in the 370th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group, EIGHTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 27 November 1944, during an air mission over Germany. On this date, Captain Wetmore was leader of a flight of four P-51 fighter aircraft on a fighter sweep mission over north central Germany. During the mission he sighted three formations of enemy aircraft, totaling more than 200 FW 190's and Me-109's. With total disregard for his own personal safety, Major Wetmore tracked the hostile fighters, radioing their positions, altitude and course to his nearby fighter group. Supporting fighters failed to arrive, and Major Wetmore, ignoring the fact of the overwhelming odds of 200 to 2, chose to attack three of the enemy aircraft in the air. The action of Major Wetmore on this occasion was a clear demonstration of the willful selection of the more hazardous of two acceptable and honorable courses of action, since his withdrawal from the combat under such overwhelmingly unfavorable circumstances would certainly have been acceptable. Captain Wetmore's unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 8th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces. General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army Air Forces in Europe, General Orders No. 168 (1945)
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Air Offensive, Europe Campaign (1942-44)
From Month/Year
July / 1942
To Month/Year
June / 1944
Description Air Offensive, Europe Campaign 4 July 1942 to 5 June 1944) Pre-war doctrine had held that waves of bombers hitting enemy cities would cause mass panic and the rapid collapse of the enemy. As a result, the Royal Air Force had built up a large strategic bomber force. By way of contrast, Nazi German air force doctrine was almost totally dedicated to supporting the army. Therefore, German bombers were smaller than their British equivalents, and Germany never developed a fully successful four engined heavy bomber equivalent to the Lancaster or B-17, with only the similarly sized Heinkel He 177 placed into production and made operational for such duties with the Luftwaffe in the later war years.
The main concentration of German raids on British cities was from September 7, 1940 until May 10, 1941 in the most famous air battle of all time, known as the Battle of Britain. Facing odds of four against one the RAF held off the mighty Luftwaffe forcing Hermann Wilhelm Göring to withdraw his forces and more importantly indefinitely postpone invasion plans. This proved the first major turning point of the War. After that most of the strength of the Luftwaffe was diverted to the war against the Soviet Union leaving German cities vulnerable to British and later American air bombings. As a result of the victory, Great Britain was used by U.S and other Allied forces as a base from which to begin the D-Day landings in June 1944 and the liberation of Nazi-occupied Western Europe.
From 1942 onwards, the efforts of Bomber Command were supplemented by the Eighth Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces, U.S. Army Air Forces units being deployed to England to join the assault on mainland Europe on July 4, 1942. Bomber Command raided by night and the US forces by day.
