World War II Honoree

Raymond Rappaport

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Wheeling, West Virginia

Honored By

Nathaniel R. Fenton

HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY IN 1943 AT THE WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA RECRUITMENT CENTER. HE WAS TRAINED IN ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNNERY AND FIELD ARTILLERY AT FORT BLISS IN EL PASO, TEXAS DURING THE SUMMER OF 1943. HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL FOREST FOR MANEUVERS, AND THEN TO A STAGING AREA AT RIVERSIDE WHERE IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE ARMY DIDN’T NEED ANY MORE ANTI-AIRCRAFT UNITS. HE RETURNED TO ABILENE, TEXAS TO ATTEND OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL, AND GRADUATED AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT. FROM THERE HE WAS ASSIGNED TO HOSPITAL TRAINS (1247TH SERVICE COMMAND UNIT) CRISSCROSSING THE COUNTRY, TRANSPORTING WOUNDED SOLDIERS TO THE HOSPITALS WITH THE SPECIALTY FOR THEIR PARTICULAR INJURIES. HE PUT IN FOR OVERSEAS DUTY AND WAS SENT TO MUROC WITH THE ANTICIPATED ASSIGNMENT OF A GENERAL HOSPITAL IN OCCUPIED JAPAN BUT WAS SENT INSTEAD AS AN ADJUTANT TO HOSPITALS IN PUERTO RICO, THE 161ST GENERAL HOSPITAL AND RODRIGUEZ HOSPITAL. HE LEFT THE SERVICE AS A FIRST LIEUTENANT.