World War II Honoree

Ray Randall Ward

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Jacksonville, Texas

Honored By

Cynthia Lane Ward Hunt

Relationship

Daughter

BEGAN SERVICE AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT, ASSIGNED TO THE 413TH BOMB SQUADRON, 96TH BOMB GROUP HEAVY, 3RD DIVISION, 8TH AIR FORCE AT SNETTERTON HEATH, ENGLAND. THERE HE FLEW FIVE COMBAT MISSIONS AS CO-PILOT, THEN WAS TRANSFERRED TO 322ND SQUADRON, 91ST BOMB GROUP HEAVY, 8TH AIR FORCE IN BASSINGBOURN, ENGLAND. THERE HE FLEW ONE MISSION AS CO-PILOT, THEN 20 MORE MISSIONS AS PILOT. SHORTLY AFTER HIS TENTH MISSION, WAS PROMOTED TO 1ST LIEUTENANT. ON HIS 22ND MISSION, SQUADRON LEADER FOR THE HIGH SQUADRON OF THE LEAD GROUP OF THE LEAD DIVISION OF THE ENTIRE 8TH AIR FORCE, IN WHAT WAS THE FIRST TIME BERLIN WAS BOMBED IN FORCE IN DAYLIGHT. AFTER COMPLETING HIS 26 MISSIONS, WARD WAS SENT TO GALVESTON, TEXAS FOR B-17 INSTRUCTOR TRAINING, THEN TO ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO FOR B-29 INSTRUCTOR TRAINING. THERE HE BECAME ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FLYING OF ALAMOGORDO ARMY AIR BASE, THEN WAS RE-ASSIGNED TO THE FLIGHT TEST DEPARTMENT, WHERE HE TEST PILOTED B-17S AND B-29S.