This is a huge DFC, AM, PH group of medals to a man from New York City who flew in the CBI Theater of Operations against the Japanese. His outfit was based in India and flew bombing missions to Burma and supply missions to China.
Ralph Perrone was born in New York in 1921. He enlisted April 27, 1942, so it is presumed he was raised in the City. This group was purchased from an antique dealer, in Accord, NY, who obtained the group from Perrone's niece. The 1944 picture accompanying this group is of "Olsen's crew" and shows Perrone in the middle of the first row. This picture was found on the 7th Bombardment Group website. The group deserves further research.
The group consists of Perrone's officially engraved Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf, Air Medal with oak leaf, WIA slot brooch Purple Heart, slot brooch Bronze Star, Soldiers Medal, Victory medal, officially engraved Good Conduct medal, New York state Conspicuous Service Cross #4457, Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal, American Defense medal, and American Campaign medal. In addition, the group includes Perrone's Air Gunner wings, collar disks, CBI DUI, and 10th Air Force DUI. Two medals in the group are European/African Middle Eastern Campaign medal and an Air Force Good Conduct medal. The significance of these two medals is unclear. Seven 7th Group Serviceman's Club Canteen Coupons, Perrone's ID card to the "Slipstream Club", and membership card to the "Ace of Clubs Pandaveswar, India, 1943" are included.
The 493rd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) was activated at Karachi, India on 25 October 1942. The squadron consisted of only 12 aircraft. Like it's sister squadron, the 492nd, the 493rd at first had neither aircraft nor air crew, having to wait until the 9th and 436th Bombardment Squadrons had completed their transition from the Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" to the Consolidated B-24 "Liberator" before receiving either aircraft or crews to man them. By 31 December 1942 the 493rd was at Pandaveswar Airdrome with the 9th Bombardment Squadron, preparing for it's first operational mission. On 26 January 1943 the 493rd saw it's first action, bombing the dock area of Rangoon, Burma. The 493rd was later designated as the AZON guided bomb unit for the 7th Bombardment Group, making first use of this weapon on 27 December 1944, when three specially equipped B-24s of the 493rd used one bomb each to destroy a bridge at Pyinmana, Burma.
