World War II Honoree

Raymond K. Winter, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Dallas, Texas

Honored By

Dorothy Winter Kilpatrick

Relationship

Step-sister

TECHNICAL SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE, 359TH BOMBER SQUADRON, 303RD BOMBER GROUP, HEAVY, 8TH AIR FORCE. ENGINEER ON B-17(F) NAMED 'IDAHO POTATO PEELER'. CREW ONE OF ORIGINAL DEPLOYED AT MOLESWORTH, ENGLAND IN FALL, 1942. FIRST MISSION WAS NOVEMBER 17, 1942 AGAINST U-BOAT PENS AT ST. NAZAIRE, FRANCE. ON FIFTH MISSION, AGAINST PORT AREA AT LORIENT, FRANCE AND U-BOAT PENS AT BREST, FRANCE, AIRCRAFT WAS BADLY DAMAGED, AND MADE A WHEELS UP CRASH LANDING AT CHIPPING WARDEN, ENGLAND. REPLACEMENT AIRCRAFT WAS NAMED 'FDR'S POTATO PEELER KIDS'. ON MAY 14, 1943 DURING MISSION AGAINST GERMAN SUB PENS AT KIEL, GERMANY, IT WAS BADLY SHOT UP BY GERMAN FIGHTERS AND CRASHED IN THE NORTH SEA. CREW DECLARED MISSING IN ACTION MAY 15, 1943 AND KILLED IN ACTION MAY 15, 1944. FLEW 21 COMBAT MISSIONS. AWARDED AIR MEDAL WITH 3 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, AND PURPLE HEART. MEMORIALIZED AT NETHERLANDS AMERICAN CEMETERY, MARGRATEN, NETHERLANDS.