World War II Honoree

Edmond Rothwell Ray

Hometown

Savannah, Georgia

Honored By

A Grateful American

AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH AIR TRAINING PLAN, HELD THE RANK OF FLYING OFFICER AND SERVED AS AN AIR GUNNER IN THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE. ENLISTED ON SEPTEMBER 16, 1941 AT MONTREAL, QUEBEC. KILLED IN ACTION WITH HIS ENTIRE CREW AT THE AGE OF 25 WHILE SERVING WITH NO. 408 'GOOSE' SQUADRON, ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE (BOMBER COMMAND) WHEN HIS HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX MK II (HR713) WAS ATTACKED BY A LUFTWAFFE NIGHT FIGHTER OF NACHTJAGDGESCHWADER 1 AND CRASHED INTO LAKE IJSSEL WEST OF HARDERWIJK, GELDERLAND, THE NETHERLANDS DURING A BOMBING RAID TO ESSEN, GERMANY ON APRIL 4, 1943. COMMEMORATED ON PANEL 174 AT THE AIR FORCES MEMORIAL AT RUNNYMEDE, ENGLEFIELD GREEN, SURREY, ENGLAND.