Skip to main content

Ralph Gordon Corry

PFC in 603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : Co A

ASN#33313171

Born 1911 in PA, Died 1978

Artist

County of enlistment: Philadelphia, PA
Other residence(s): Philadelphia, PA; Marin County, CA; Yountville, CA
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
Occupation before the war: decorators and window dressers
Notes: Served in Europe starting May 3, 1944 per Pennsylvania Veterans Compensation file
Source: 603rd Camouflage Engineer Roster provided by W. Anderson

Ralph G. Corry was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 6, 1911, one of seven children. He had only a grammar school education but found work as a decorator. In 1940 he was working at Clover Sign Advertising in Philadelphia, and living with his mother.

At the time of his enlistment on May 14, 1942, his profession was listed in the category of "decorators/window dressers." He was in the Army for three years and eight months, serving overseas from May 3, 1944 to December 20, 1945.

After he was discharged from the Army, he moved to California and settled in Marin County, where he worked as a decorator until retiring. In 1975, he moved to the Yountville (CA) Veterans' Home, and died in the hospital on June 13, 1978, after a long illness. He is buried at Monument Hill Memorial Park in Woodland, CA. Sadly, his obituary stated that he had no known relatives, and no funeral would be held at his request, but "he leaves many friends in Marin County."

Sources:

1940 draft card

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2238&h=7230051&tid=&pid=&queryId=95afe78fda8a9657f244fc21293df471&usePUB=true&_phsrc=uav29&_phstart=successSource

1942 enlistment record

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8939&h=4214442&tid=&pid=&queryId=95afe78fda8a9657f244fc21293df471&usePUB=true&_phsrc=uav31&_phstart=successSource

1950 Pennsylvania Veterans Compensation File

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=3147&h=56277&tid=&pid=&queryId=95afe78fda8a9657f244fc21293df471&usePUB=true&_phsrc=uav34&_phstart=successSource

1978 Social Security death record

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=3693&h=12562633&tid=&pid=&queryId=95afe78fda8a9657f244fc21293df471&usePUB=true&_phsrc=uav37&_phstart=successSource

1978 VA Death Record

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2441&h=7863900&ssrc=pt&tid=158029400&pid=282070208943&usePUB=true

1978 Obituary in Napa Valley Register

https://www.newspapers.com/image/563792437/?terms=ralph%2Bg%2Bcorry

Please Support Our Ongoing Efforts

The soldiers of The Ghost Army used inflatable tanks, sound effects, and imagination to fool the Germans on the battlefields of Europe. The Ghost Army Legacy Project is ensuring that these men and their accomplishments are never forgotten.

Give via credit card by clicking the yellow “Donate” button.

Or, send a check to:

Ghost Army Legacy Project
1305 S. Michigan Ave. #1104
Chicago, IL 60605

All donations are tax-deductible!