Lieutenant Ralph Peter Ortiz
Air Medal w/ 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Ralph Peter Ortiz was born on November 18, 1921 to Dan and Erlinda Ortiz of Santa Fe NM. He grew up in Santa Fe, where his father worked as a reporter for the local paper. Upon graduation from St Michael’s HS he enrolled at NMAMC for the 40-41 school year to study Business Administration. On January 22, 1942, immediately following the outbreak of the war, he enlisted in the USAAF. After completing his commissioning and training for service aboard B-24 heavy bombers he was assigned to the 42nd Bomb Squadron, 11th Bomb Group. This was the same unit that Lt Leo Emminger, another Aggie, had flown for when the unit was still flying B-17’s. On November 9, 1943 the unit was shipped to Funafuti in the Ellice Islands. On November 13, 1943 they began air strikes against Tarawa. Tarawa was assaulted by the US Marines on November 20th and the island declared captured on November 27th. At that time the unit shifted its bomb runs against other Japanese held islands, such as Mille and Taroa.
The last mission assigned to the unit before their return to Oahu was a strike against heavily defended Taroa in the Maleolap Atoll on December 20, 1943. Taroa was a sizeable Japanese air field and heavily defended with both antiaircraft guns and fighter aircraft. Lt Ortiz would fly this strike aboard B 24D#41-24214, “Dogpatch Express” piloted by Lt George Smith. Arriving over target their plane was seen to take several hits that badly damaged the aircraft. The plane was able to fly approximately 95 miles on the return leg until it was forced to make a water landing. Other aircraft witnessed two life rafts being deployed and four crew members exit the aircraft. Rescue was called in but when they arrived there was no sign of the life rafts. There is no knowledge of what may have happened to the crew that survived the water landing. Lt Ralph Peter Ortiz was 22 years old at the time of his death and is today memorialized at the Honolulu Memorial Cemetery Tablets of the Missing.