World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Raymond E. Darling, Jr.
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Martin County, Florida
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
RANK: 1ST LIEUTENANT. INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS JULY 6, 1942 AT WACO, TEXAS. SERVED AS A GLIDER PILOT WITH THE 88TH TROOP CARRIER SQUADRON, 438TH TROOP CARRIER GROUP, IX TROOP CARRIER COMMAND, A COMPONENT UNIT OF THE U.S. 9TH AIR FORCE. HE WAS STATIONED AT THE ROYAL AIR FORCE GREENHAM COMMON AIRFIELD, U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE STATION #486 BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND. KILLED IN ACTION ON D-DAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1944 IN THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY. THIS WAS THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, CODE NAME: OPERATION OVERLORD. HIS GLIDER, CARRYING 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION PERSONNEL CRASHED ON OR NEAR THE DESIGNATED LANDING ZONE-W AT LES FORGES IN THE BRITTANY AREA OF FRANCE. HE IS BURIED IN THE NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATED AT COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: AIR MEDAL AND THE PURPLE HEART. THE AIR MEDAL WAS AWARDED TO THE LIEUTENANT FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT.