John H. Ragon (1923- )

Transferred to Chicago Aircraft School

Pvt. John H. Ragon arrived in Chicago Sunday, where he will take a three-months course in aircraft mechanics at the Chicago Aircraft School. He has been stationed at Miami Beach, Fla., since November.

Pvt. John Ragon Visits Home

Pvt. John Ragon was home over the week-end from his studies at the aircraft school in Chicago.

Home Over Sunday

Pvt. John Ragon, who is attending aircraft instrument school in Chicago, spent the week-end at home. A classmate, Pvt. Robert Rockwell, accompanied him.

Graduates from Instrument School

After attending the Chicago School of Aircraft Instruments for twelve weeks, Pfc. John Ragon, with a class of twenty-four other young men, was graduated last Saturday night. He spent the week-end here with his parents, sister and brother, and on Monday, with six other class mates, left for Kelly Field, Texas, where they will be stationed for the present at least. The remaining members of the class were sent to fields in California and Oklahoma.

John has covered considerable territory since he enlisted last November. He was first sent to Florida for his basic training, then to school in Chicago, and now to Texas to begin his work.

John Ragon at Kelly Field, Tex.

Following his arrival at Kelly Field, Texas, last Wednesday, Pfc. John Ragon, who is stationed there with the air corps ground crew, writes his parents that he is getting used to the new surroundings and has now started work in the shop. He is working on instrument panels, with special work on gyros. Johnny says the weather is exceedingly warm in the afternoon.

Writing his parents, the C.U. Ragons, Cpl. John Ragon, stationed in England, says everything is O.K. over on the other side of the pond, and said he had a two-day pass for Christmas and the following day, which is his birthday. He also said he had an 8-day pass coming up on January 3rd, and was going to go see some of England during his time off from shop work with the ground crew of the army air forces.

We have received the following from the Bureau of Public Relations U.S. War Department:

"Cpl. John H. Ragon, of Lowell, son of the C.U. Ragons, has helped to establish a new record for aircraft instrument repair in the ETO.

"In January, his shop, aided by the arrival of new equipment, and working at top speed, surpassed the former ETO record by 60 percent. According to Cpl. Ragon, the crucial months ahead will see even that mark beaten by his organization.

"The Eighth Army air force is now 'somehwere in England.'

Cpl. Ragon is a graduate of Lowell high school class of '41, and prior to his enlistment in the air corps in November, 1942, was employed as linotype operator on The Lowell Tribune."

The following June 22, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 3, column 2:

Sgt. John Ragon One of Highly Trained Technicians Commended

An Air Service Command Station "Somewhere in England" -- Daily precision bombing requires delicate instruments, carefully adjusted, to get our planes to their pin-point targets. The highly important job of overhauling and rebuilding all aircraft instruments belongs to the Accessories Section of an Air Service Command depot in England.

Sgt. John H. Ragon, Lowell, is one of the highly-trained technicians whose job it is to see that those instruments are in perfect working order. He is one of the men recently commended by Lieut. General Carl A. Spaatz, Commanding General of the United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe, when production at the depot increased by over 100 percent.

Before entering the army, Sgt. Ragon was employed by the Lowell Tribune, as a linotype operator.

Receives Promotion

A letter received Monday from their son, John, stationed with the ground crew of the army air corps in England, informed the C.U. Ragons that he had been promoted from the rank of Corporal to Sergeant, the promotion coming a few days before he wrote.

Visits London an Edinburgh

Writing his parents, the C.U. Ragons, Sgt. John Ragon, stationed in England, said he had just returned a few days before from an 8-day furlough spent in London and Edinburgh, Scotland. John, who is an instrument mechanic in the air corps, says his outfit had a delicious dinner on Thanksgiving Day, with turkey and all the trimmings.

A letter receivedby the C.U. Ragons from their son, Sgt. John, stationed with the ground crew of the U.S. air forces in England, says he experienced a pleasant surprise when Lieut. Earle McGraw, navigator with the air corps, walked in on him. The boys spent two days together and really had a fine time talking over happenings in the old home town. John has been in England nearly two years and this is the first person he has met in that time that he knew before entering the service. Earle has been overseas since February and, according to the last letter to his parents, had been on eight missions over Germany. Both boys were well at the time John wrote.

Writing his parents, Sgt. John Ragon, who has been in England with the air corps since September, 1943, was permitted for the first time to give his location. His outfit is stationed near Blackpool, which is a short distance from Manchester. Blackpool is a large resort city, and from the description John gives of it, must be quite a place, something on the order of Atlantic City, N.J. John says they hear all kinds of rumors about when and where his outfit is to be moved, but have never received anything definite.

Sgt. John Ragon writes his parents, the C.U. Ragons, that a number of his outfit have been transferred to the southwestern part of England, where he may be stationed for some time. He has been stationed near Blackpool, England, since September, 1943.

Letters received on Monday from Sgt. John Ragon, inform his parents that he is getting along O.K. at his post near Nuremberg, Germany. He says he cannot begin to describe the ruins in the city of Nuremberg, where he has been on visits since arriving in Germany a short time ago. He is now guarding German prisoners of war, and says many of them act to him like they would knife an American in the back if they had a chance. John, who has been overseas with the air corps in England, since September, 1943, is hoping to see this side of the Atlantic in the near future.

The C.U. Ragons received a welcome message from La Havre, France, from their son, Sgt. John Ragon, who has been overseas the past two years, which read:

"Will be home the last of the month. Don't look for any more letters."

Robert Rockwell and sister, Miss Jean, were dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. C.U. Ragon and son, John, last evening, enroute to their home in New Jersey from a trip through the western states. Bob and John were army buddies, serving together both in this country and in England.

Sgt. John Ragon arrived home Monday after being discharged that day at Camp Atterbury. John, in the air corps three years, spent 26 months of that time in England, France and Germany, as an instrument repair man. He will resume his old job as linotype operator on The Tribune.