Edward H. Ringgold III

SERGEANT EDWARD H. RINGGOLD III was born in 1923 in Pennsylvania to Edward Ringgold Jr. and his wife Bessie. The Ringgold family moved to New Jersey in 1924. His sister Mary Jane was born in 1926. At the time of the April 1930 census his family was living at 38 East Pine Street in Audubon. His father, Edward Ringgold Jr., at that time was a manager in a sales office. The family later moved to Haddonfield NJ. 

Edward Ringgold III graduated from Haddonfield High School, where he was a manager for the football team. The Ringgold family subsequently moved to 704 Atlantic Avenue in Collingswood NJ. Prior to enlisting in the Army on October 15, 1942, he worked for the Camden Fire Insurance Association. He is remembered on the war memorials in both Haddonfield and Collingswood NJ.

Edward Ringgold III was killed in action when the B-29  bomber he was serving in crashed in China on August 20, 1944 during the raid on the iron and steel works at Yawata, Japan, for which the 40th Bombardment Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation.  A member of crew # 8, 25th Bombardment Squadron, his plane #42-6301 crashed while returning from the Yawata raid west of Hsinching, China. All 11 crew members were lost. He was 21 at the time of his death.

Edward Ringgold III was survived by his parents, sister, and paternal grandparents, Edward Ringgold Sr. and wife Sara, of 817 Princeton Avenue in Haddonfield NJ. His grandfather, who had been ill for some time, passed away shortly after news of his son's missing in action status was reported. Edward Ringgold Sr. had been the owner of the Union Canvas Goods Company in Philadelphia. When he had retired in 1944, he gave 75% of the company to veteran employees.