1st Lt Grant Marion Turley-An American Ace

Familial History:

1st Lt Grant M Turley was born 18 June 1922 on the Sundown Ranch in Aripine, Navajo County, Arizona to Wilma Caroline Fillerup and Fred Andrew Turley. He died 6 March 1944 as his fighter plane was shot down in Germany

He was a cowboy on the family ranch, an amateur boxer, and captain of the school football team. In 1930, their residence was located near Aripine, Navajo County, Arizona.

He graduated from Snowflake High School, Snowflake, Navajo County, Arizona in 1939. He was the Valedictorian of his high school class.

Grant entered marriage with Kathleen “Kitty” Ballard on 3 August 1942 in Navajo County. She was born 10 August 1923 in Snowflake, Arizona and died 1 December 2004 in Navajo County, Arizona. She was interred into the Holbrook Cemetery, Holbrook Navajo County, Arizona, and the Memorial # 15065935.

On 31 July 1951, she married John Scott Benson and moved to Holbrook. She had five children comprised of four daughters and one son.

His Mother, Wilma Caroline Fillerup was born 8 March 1900 to Moneta Fillerup and Charles Richard Fillerup in Colonia Diaz de Mayo, Meoqui Municipality, Chihuahua, Mexico. She died on 14 August 1982 in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona. She was buried in the R V Mike Ramsay Memorial Cemetery located in Snowflake, Navajo County, Arizona. The Memorial # 128815547.

Wilma married Fred on 1 June 1920 in Navajo County, Arizona. They had three daughters and two sons.

Fred Andrew was born 4 August 1895 in Snowflake, Arizona and died 1 March 1981 in Mesa, Arizona. He was buried alongside his wife in the R V Mike Ramsay Memorial Cemetery, located in Snowflake. His Plot was A1-42-1 and the Memorial # 128815600.

Grant’s older brother was Stanley “Stan” Frederick. He was born 27 February 1921 in Snowflake, Arizona and died 26 April 2014 in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona. He was buried in the City of Mesa Cemetery which located in Mesa, Arizona. The Memorial # 128766172. He was a rancher and Vice President of the First Interstate Bank of Arizona. He was a World War II veteran as he volunteered for the US Army Air Corps.

Stanley married his college sweetheart, Cleo Fern Olson on 17 October 1944. She was born 4 May 1821 in Fairview, Sanpete County, Utah to Neola Gertrude Ellertson and George Franklin. She died 6 December 2004 in Mesa, Arizona. She was buried with her husband in the City of Mesa Cemetery. The Plot was Section 1099, Lot 2, Grave 2 and the Memorial # 63998842. Their union produced seven children, comprised of six daughters and one son.

Grant’s eldest sister was Wanda May Smith. She was born during 1927 and died 15 April 2007 in Missouri.

She was married to 1st Lt. Augustus “Marion” Smith on 18 March 1945 in Norfolk Virginia. He was born 9 August 1918 in Hunt, Apache County, Arizona to Pauline Udall and Asahel Henry Smith. Dr. Smith died 25 June 2008 in Mesa, Arizona. He was buried in the City of Mesa Cemetery, Mesa, Arizona. The Plot was Section 1173, Lot 4, Grave 5C, and the Memorial # 66184063.

Monita Robinson was the second youngest of the Turley daughters. She was born 7 May 1930 in Aripine, Arizona. and the death date was unknown.

She married Clarence Franklin “Robbie” Robinson on 31 March 1950 in Manti, Sanpete County, Utah. He was born 18 June 1923 in Fillmore, Mallard County, Utah and died 26 September 2008 in Provo, Utah County, Utah. He was buried in the Provo City Cemetery, Provo, Utah, and the Plot was Block 20, Lot 32, and the Memorial # 80909984. He served in the US Navy during World War II and was a US Olympian in London. Their union produced nine children.

Grant’s youngest sister was named Marilyn Larson. Marilyn was born 23 August 1931 in Aripine, Arizona and the death data had not been published.

She married Mack Robert Larson. He was born 10 July 1927 and died 13 March 2007. He was buried in the R V Mike Ramsay Memorial Cemetery in Snowflake, Arizona. The Plot is AF-27-3 and the Memorial # 148074052.

Service History:

In 1941, Grant had enrolled at Arizona State Teachers College which later was renamed Arizona State University. While enrolled, he started taking flying lessons at Sky Harbor Airport.

After basic training, he was assigned to the 82nd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Squadron in the US Army Air Corps and died 6 March 1944. His specialty was as a Pilot. His Service Number was O-7992761.

During his flight training at Shaw Field, South Carolina he was awarded the Shaw Trophy. It was presented to the cadet that had maintained the highest standards of athleticism and military conduct during the training. The news article stated that his wife Kathleen B. Turley was residing in Holbrook, Arizona.

The 83rd flew the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft. The one he was flying when shot down was #42-7998 which he named ‘Kitty”. He had also painted “Sundown Ranch” above the engine.

He was a World War II US Army Air Corps ace. He was credited with seven kills and the seventh was recorded on the day he was killed. He flew over 50 combat missions and had another two airplanes destroyed on the ground. Their home base in England was RAF Duxford.

1st Lt Grant M. Turley was shot down by a FW-190 and was buried by the Germans near the crash site. The official location of the crash was lake at Aumuhle, Wildeshausen, Neidersachsen, Germany. Accident Republic P-47D-2-RE Thunderbolt 42-7998, 06 Mar 1944 (aviation-safety.net)

At the end of the war his body was exhumed and interred into the Ardennes American Cemetery. The Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial is located in Neuville-en-Condroz, Arrondissement de Liege, Liege. Belgium. The Plot was D, Row 14, Grave 23 and the Memorial # 56361361.

The official headstone request was initiated by Kitty Turley and the address was Box 174, Holbrook, Arizona.

For further reading about 1st Lt Grant M. Turley please click onto the following link which was authored by David Evans. Grant M. Turley (ancestryinstitution.com)

Commendations:

Silver Star

Distinguished Flying Cross

Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Purple Heart

Stories Behind the Stars:

Thank you, 1st Lt Grant M. Turley of the US Army Air Corps, for your sacrifice and service to our country.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars Project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII Fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen’ s name and read his/her story.

If you noticed anything missing in this profile, you can contact the author, Click on the author’s name located at the bottom of the story page next to the words “added by”.

The author is Dr. Jack W. Chisum, and the email is jchisum@q.com

Resources:

Grant M Turley : First Lieutenant from Arizona, World War II Casualty (honorstates.org)

Global, Find a Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current - AncestryInstitution.com

Grant M. Turley (ancestryinstitution.com)

42-7998 | American Air Museum in Britain

Accident Republic P-47D-2-RE Thunderbolt 42-7998, 06 Mar 1944 (aviation-safety.net)

82nd Fighter Squadron 78th Fighter Group P47D Thunderbolt 42-7998 ‘Kitty’ MX-N 2nd Lt. Grant Turley, Barenberg, Germany (aircrewremembered.com)

Duxford Aerodrome - Wikipedia

RAF Duxford in the Second World War 1939-1945 - The Wartime Memories Project -

Turley, Grant Marion, 1st Lt