World War II Honoree

Aidan Aloysius Raney, MD

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Los Angeles, California

Honored By

Lauren Raney

Relationship

Great Granddaughter

From 1942 to 1946 he served with distinction as a surgeon with the Third Auxiliary Surgical Group of the United States Army. He was with the 44th Evacuation Hospital, landing on Omaha Beach during the Normandy Invasion. He served at the Battle of the Bulge and was with the last group to the leave area on foot, two hours after the 'Massacre at Malmedy'. He became the first Allied neurosurgeon to cross the Rhine River when he flew over to evaluate two severely injured soldiers. He received seven battle stars for participation in the campaigns in Tunisia, Sicily, Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He was awarded the Bronze Star for working unceasingly on surgical cases for long periods of time, without rest or relief, to bring immediate and expert medical care to wounded soldiers.