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Roy Alvin Corry, Jr.

Second Lieutenant Roy A. Corry, Jr., was a Marine pilot who flew with VMF-223 in the Solomon Islands campaign.
He was shot down while intercepting Japanese bombers over Guadalcanal on 26 August 1942.

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Branch

Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number O-7540

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Current Status

Remains Not Recovered

Pursuit Category

The DPAA has not publicized this information.

Capsule History

Pre-War Life

Birth

October 3, 1920
at Anaheim, CA

Parents

Roy Alvin Corry Sr.
Rosabelle (Henson) Corry

Education

Santa Ana High School (1938)
Santa Ana Junior College
Compton College (1941)

Occupation & Employer

None; joined from college

Other

Engaged to Ethel Freda Reichardt of San Diego

Service Life

Entered Service

April 13, 1941 (enlisted)
October 14, 1941 (officer)
at Miami, FL

Home Of Record

2600 West 1st Street
Santa Ana, CA

Next Of Kin

Father, Mr. Roy A. Corry Sr.

Military Specialty

Pilot

Primary Unit

VMF-221 (Midway)
VMF-223 (Solomon Islands)

Campaigns Served

Midway
Solomon Islands

Individual Decorations

Navy Cross
Purple Heart

Additional Service Details

Credited with 2 aerial victories at Midway.
Additional duty as VMF-223 gunnery officer.

Loss And Burial

Circumstances Of Loss

Second Lieutenant Roy A. Corry, Jr., was a highly decorated Marine Corps fighter pilot. An exceptionally skilled flyer, he not only survived the virtual massacre of squadron VMF-221 at Midway, but was credited with downing a “Zeke” and a “Val” in the process. For his exploits, he received the Navy Cross.

Corry was reassigned to VMF-223 (the “Rainbows”) and deployed to the Solomon Islands, arriving at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal on 20 August 1942. Six days later, the “Cactus Air Force” scrambled to intercept a raiding force of Japanese bombers and fighters. Although outnumbered two-to-one, the Rainbow pilots claimed thirteen enemy aircraft destroyed.

The victory was not without cost. Lieutenant Corry did not return from the mission. While angling for a good shot on a bomber, he was reportedly was caught in a crossfire and shot down by the powerful Japanese tail guns. The squadron reported Corry as missing in action after the fight.

No trace of Lieutenant Corry or his aircraft (a Wildcat, F4F-4 #03405) was ever seen again. He was officially declared dead on 27 August 1943.

Burial Information or Disposition

Lieutenant Corry’s crash site was not located by post-war searches, and the exact location where his Wildcat went down is currently unknown. It is believed that his remains are in the vicinity of the wreckage, whether on land or at sea.

Next Of Kin Address

Address of parents, Roy & Rose Corry.

Location Of Loss

Lieutenant Corry was defending Henderson Field when he was shot down. The exact location of his death is not known.

Related Profiles

VMF-223 (and attached) pilots missing over Guadalcanal.
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4 thoughts on “Roy A. Corry, Jr.”

  1. Roy Corry was my mothers fiance before he went off to war. He had told her that he would not be coming back and as long as I can remember she kept his photo by her bed until she died at age 93. He was the love of her life. My dad married her in 1944 and they had 4 kids and he was divorced later in 1955. She never had a photo of him around just that of Roy. I have that photo now on my mantle. We never knew where he was buried as he was shot down at sea in his Wildcat but his belongings were buried in Santa Ana next to his mom and dad. The weird thing is that we could not find his grave in Santa Ana for years despite calls and using the computer. When my mom died, my sister had her funeral at the Fairhaven Cemetary. That very day we found his grave marker not more than 100 feet away next to his parents. Talk about a unique gift. Our family photographed the marker that day and I visit it on Memorial day and leave a flag for him. I hope my mom is with him now and they are together forever. Semper Fi.

    1. Hi Bruce Adams. Thank you for such a poignant and bittersweet story. I am proud to know Roy a little bit better because of you. How did your father feel about having Roy’s picture around? Must have been hard for him. God bless them all.

      I heard that Roy kept himself busy getting the guns on everyone’s planes sighted in on deck aboard ship, while they were under way to Midway. Some of the officers complained, “Hey, don’t use up all the ammo!!!” but he wanted everyone DEAD ON TARGET. The story goes that after they arrived, and after his 2nd mission, the fight was so intense that he knew his time had run out and said so. But he bravely went right back up the very next day…and never returned.

      There is another Corry pilot from before WW I that I have found in my research. William Merrill Corry Jr is a Medal of Honor recipient with (3) destroyers named after him.

      Please feel free to share any other memories about Roy with me up here in Portland, OR. Thanks again, Robert E Corry III

      1. Robert, You have the last name as Roy, are you related? My mom kept his photos and belongings at my grand fathers house in San Diego (her dad) after Roy died and then displayed his photo only after my fathers divorce later. It was never around during their marriage. I have it now in the guest room. My mom would visit his parents several times that I personally remember as I tagged along once as a 5 year old and Mr. Corry {Roy’s dad} had to go up on his roof to get my teddy bear that I threw up there. My mother said later that it was too painful to visit much and time flew by and that was that. They are buried next to Roy’s marker in Fairhaven Cemetary in Santa Ana. I have a set of Marine Corps flying wing badge that has been in the family for as long as I remember and they are probably from him as my mom told me he gave her one before he left to the south Pacific.

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