Peggy McGee
Walter Ram, who spent two long years in a German prisoner of war camp, will be the speaker at the Green Valley Chapter Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) luncheon on Wednesday, March 19. The event will be held at the American Legion Post 66, 1560 W. Duval Mine Road. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. for a social period, with lunch being served at noon. The menu will include a potato bar followed by dessert for a cost of $16. A cash bar will be available.
Walter will describe how he managed to survive his time in Stalag 17B, one of the notorious German POW camps during World War II. His seemingly impossible story of determination and will is what kept him going during his ordeal.
Walter Ram left high school to join the Army at the age of 16. He was stationed with the 158th Infantry Regiment in Fort Sill, Okla. The 158th Infantry Regiment is part of the Arizona Army National Guard.
During Ram’s one year in the Infantry, he was transferred from Fort Sill to several other U.S. bases for training. After he was discharged, he returned to high school to get his diploma. But when World War II started only two months later, Ram left high school again to join the Army Air Corps in hopes of becoming a pilot. Since he left school before graduating, he was unable to become a pilot, and instead was trained as a radioman and gunner.
On July 16, 1942, Private Ram graduated from the Army Air Forces Technical School at Scott Field, Ill., and earned his diploma for completing his course for Radio Operators and Mechanics. Later that year, Staff Sergeant Ram graduated from the Aerial Gunners Course and was immediately promoted to Tech Sergeant.
In 1943 Ram was assigned to Bassingbourn, England, and was on the B-17E, affectionately named Helno-Gal, a four-engine bomber. Boeing developed the B17-E (nicknamed “Flying Fortress”) especially for the U.S. Army Air Corps.
During World War I and World War II, it was common for servicemembers to paint and decorate their planes, and the B 17-E was no exception. The co-pilot of the plane wanted to name it Corky, but everyone else said, “Hell no!” And, thus, Helno-Gal was born. Helno-Gal was hit by German fighters on Ram’s third mission in England. Fortunately, the full crew survived. Twenty-three days later, on his sixth mission, his B-17F was shot and exploded over Kiel, Germany.
Four of 10 crew members survived. Ram parachuted to safety but was ultimately captured by the Germans and sent to the infamous Stalag 17B near Krems, Austria.
Today one can find Walter working on Mondays as a docent at the 390th Memorial Museum at the Pima Air & Space Museum.
To make a reservation for the March 19 luncheon, please contact Peggy McGee at [email protected]. The deadline is March 11.