American in the Royal Canadian Air Force

[dante]

Nice tunic, un-named but a trawl through Canadian archives throws only one possibility 

Technical Sergeant 
George Washington FERRELL DFM, Air Medal

FERRELL, Sergeant George (R117536) - Distinguished Flying Medal - No.103 Squadron - Award effective 2 June 1943 as per London Gazette dated 2 June 1943 and AFRO 1459/43 dated 30 July 1943. American in the RCAF. Born 14 October 1914 in Trenton, New Jersey. 

Home in Belleville, New Jersey. Electrician. Enlisted in Montreal 12 July 1941 and posted to No.1 Manning Depot. To No.4 WS, 27 September 1941. Promoted LAC, 29 October 1941. To Trenton, 8 June 1942; to No.6 BGS, 18 July 1942; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 28 August 1942. To “Y” Depot, 29 August 1942. To RAF overseas, 26 October 1942. Promoted Flight Sergeant, 29 February 1943. Discharged from RCAF, 28 July 1943. Cited with a Sergeant K. Breckon (RAF, awarded DFM). RCAF photo PL-22188 (ex UK-5990 dated 4 November 1943) taken when he was a Technical Sergeant with American forces, after investiture at Buckingham Palace. RCAF photo PL-22190 (ex UK-5992 dated 4 November 1943) shows Flight Sergeant D.C. Moore (George Medal, Durham, Ontario) chatting after investiture with other recipients, notably (on his left) Technical Sergeant G.W. Ferrell (DFM, Belleville, New Jersey). 

Sergeants Breckon and Ferrell were pilot and mid-upper gunner, respectively, of an aircraft which attacked Dortmund on night in May 1943. On the return flight the aircraft was subjected to repeated attacks by an enemy fighter. Although his turret was rendered unserviceable early in the combat, Sergeant Ferrell operated it manually, at the same time giving his captain a commentary on the attacker's movements. In spite of his difficulties Sergeant Ferrell eventually delivered a well directed burst of fire and shot the attacker down. Soon after crossing the enemy coast one of the bomber's engines caught fire and became unserviceable while a little later another engine ceased to function. 
Despite this, Sergeant Breckon flew on and, although a third engine became unserviceable as the English coast was reached, he succeeded in gaining an airfield where he executed a masterly landing without the aid of flaps. These members of aircraft crew displayed great skill, courage and determination in circumstances fraught with great danger. NOTE: Public Record Office Air 2/4974 has recommendation for a CGM (Flying) drafted 29 May 1943 by the Commanding Officer of No.103 Squadron. This award was supported up to the level of Air Officer Commanding, No.1 Group, so it was presumably downgraded at Bomber Command Headquarters.

He had flown only one sortie (five hours ten minutes). During the attack on Dortmund on the night of 23/24th May 1943, Sergeant Ferrell, a Canadian, was mid-upper gunner of a Lancaster aircraft. After leaving the target, his aircraft was attacked by an enemy night fighter which carried out nine separate attacks in all. On the third attack both the mid-upper and rear turrets were rendered unserviceable almost simultaneously. Undaunted by the extremely hazardous position in which he was thus placed, he showed exceptional courage and determination in continuing coolly to warn his captain of each impending attack and giving him evasive directions at the same time endeavouring to ward off the attacks by manipulating his turret manually, rotating it by hand to whatever side the attack was coming from, and opening fire as best he could under these extremely difficult circumstances. On the sixth attack after his turret became unserviceable he got the fighter into his sights and opened fire, whereupon the fighter went into a steep dive and was seen to crash on the ground. 

Sergeant Ferrell not only showed exceptional skill as a gunner, but displayed outstanding gallantry and coolness in the face of danger and by his fearless determination and presence of mind extricated his crew from a perilous situation. 

He has set a high example for all to follow, and I have no hesitation in strongly recommending him for the immediate award of the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. Public Record Office Air 50/292 has the following Combat Report for the night of 23/24 May 1943, Lancaster C2/103, W4325: Returning from a raid on Dortmund on the night of 23/24 May 1943, while flying at 18,000 feet, position 5205N 0640E, visibility good, about 8 to 10 miles with moon practically full on port quarter up, the time 0218 hours, the rear gunner of Lancaster C.2 {Sergeant Lefort] sighted a Ju.88 on green quarter down, 350 yards range. 

The rear gunner gave instructions to the pilot to make a diving turn starboard, which was carried out, and as this evasive action was being taken, the rear gunner and mid-upper gunner [Ferrell] opened fire but observed no hits. The fighter was unable to get a burst in on this attack, so broke off on the red quarter down, whereupon the pilot from instructions from the rear gunner resumed course and the Ju.88 positioned himself on the port quarter up about 400 yards away. When the fighter committed himself to the attack once more, the rear gunner again gave orders for a diving turn to port, which the pilot carried out immediately and the rear gunner and mid-upper opened fire, observing hits, and once again the fighter was forced to break off the attack without opening fire, whereupon the pilot resumed course after receiving instructions to do so from the rear gunner, and the Ju.88 positioned himself on the green quarter up about 450 yards. When the fighter committed himself to the attack once more, the mid-upper gave instructions to the pilot to make a diving turn to starboard, which was carried out; the Ju.88 opened fire from 200 yards for about two seconds and put both rear turret and mid-upper turret unserviceable, but was unable to follow up attack and broke away down to port, whereupon the pilot resumed course after receiving orders from the mid-upper to do so and the Ju.88 positioned himself more on the red quarter down about 350 yards away. 
The mid-upper, fearing that the intercom might be put unserviceable, gave the skipper orders to corkscrew continually while continuing on course, which was carried out. The Ju.88 attacked once more and his cannon shells hit the starboard main plane and rudder. The fighter broke off the attack at 150 yards, diving down on starboard quarter and back up, position on the green quarter up about 300 yards away, and attacked once again from that position. In the meantime the mid-upper, finding his turret unserviceable, put it in hand rotation, and rotating the turret by hand to the side from which the attack was coming, while the rear gunner with one hand and elevator and depressed the gun, and with the other opened fire, but found it difficult to make a correct allowance. The Ju.88 altogether made six attacks from alternate sides and the mid-upper continued to rotate his turret from side to side, opening fire as best he could each time. On the sixth attack after the turrets were unserviceable, the fighter ran through the mid-upper’s cone of fire and was seen to heel over on his side, dive straight down and was seen to crash on the deck and burst into flames by the rear gunner, wireless operator and engineer. There were no searchlights cooperating with fighter and there was no flak.

Pre-war Ferrell served in the Merchant marine, he died in 1969