Sgt. Mckinney Given Purple Heart by Doolittle
Two sisters in sSyracuse and a father, mother and brother in Malone were proud today over the news that Sergt. Ross McKinney, with the American Air Forces in Africa, has received the Purple Heart from his commander, Maj. Gen. James H. Doolittle, for heroism in action.
Sergeant McKinney, who is 28, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert A. McKinney, of Maloine, where he was born and were he attended public school. Nine years ago, not long after his graduation from Malone High School, he came to Syracuse.
He had been employed for some years in the Arthur Morris liquor store at Sate and Water Streets when he enlisted in the Air Corpse in August, 1941.
He was last in Syracuse in July 1942. Members of his family have not seen him since.
They had received official word of his being wounded on Dec. 7, with later notification that he had recovered and had been released from the hospital. Just where this happened and what deeds were recognized by award of the Purple Heart, they have not learned.
Besides his parents in Malone, Sergeant McKinney also has a brother, Marce McKinney, in Malone. The sisters in Syracuse are Mrs. Florence Vincent, employed at the Marcellus Casket Company, and Mrs. Genevieve Gutke who is employed by the Post Standard.
In 1941 Ross enlisted in the Air Force. In February of 42 after Pearl Harbor he was sent to Boise Idaho. Gowen Field to study to be a radio operator for B-17 but was assigned to photo reconnaissance and that’s when he was wounded.
Sgt. McKinney was part of the crew of an American plane on a photo reconnaissance mission over Gabes on the Tunisian coast ambushed by five Messerschmitt 109-G’s.
The Messerschmitt was destroyed by Top-Gunner Sgt. Frederick Rutledge of Damascus, Va., and Tail-Gunner Sgt. Carl E. Jennings of Indianapolis.
Sgt. McKinney had been trained at army air corps bomber bases at Bangor, Me. and Boise, Idaho, before going to Africa. He had a furlough home during a transfer between these in February, when he was a private.