Thomas C Ray (1912 - 1943)

Born 14 Mar 1912 in Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United States

Died 26 Nov 1943 at age 31 in At Sea

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Biography

Thomas Ray was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States).

Thomas Ray was awarded the Air Medal.

Thomas Ray was awarded the Purple Heart.

Staff Sergeant Thomas Ray served in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II
Service started: 10 Apr 1942
Unit(s): 67th Bombardment Squadron, 44th Bombardment Group, Ninth Air Force
Service ended: 26 Nov 1943

Staff Sergeant Thomas Ray was aboard a B24 bomber involved in a midair crash returning from Bremen, Germany during World War II.

Thomas was born 14 March 1912 in Nashville, Tennessee. ^[1]

Thomas was the Tunnel Gunner aboard the B24 Liberator bomber, Suzy Q (41-23817), participating in Operation Tidal Wave the low-level attack on the Romanian oil refineries at Ploesti on 1 August 1943. He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for his contribution to the operation.

On 26 November 1943, Thomas was a crew member of B24 Liberator, Mr 5X5 (41-24234) on a mission to Bremen, Germany. During the return trip from the target the bomber suffered a mid air collision with 42-7501 causing the shearing off the entire tail section causing it to crash into the sea. There were no survivors.^[2]

Find A Grave: Memorial #56360464

• Residence (1920) - Davidson, Tennessee, United States.^[3]
• Residence (1930) - District 11, Davidson, Tennessee, United States.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ "Tennessee, Birth Records (ER Series), 1908-1912", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2HP-TQRJ : 17 March 2018), Thomas Columbus Ray, 1912.
2. ↑ American Air Museum in Britain - Thomas Ray
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNP9-BPB : 3 February 2021), Thomas C Ray in entry for Burton L Ray, 1920.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPW2-ZR7 : accessed 27 July 2021), Thomas Ray in household of Burton L Ray, District 11, Davidson, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 235, sheet 4A, line 39, family 86, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2244; FHL microfilm 2,341,978.

• National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Draft Registration Cards for Tennessee, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 241. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Ancestry Record 2238 #201448808
• "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMV8-55X : 5 December 2014), Thomas C Ray, enlisted 10 Apr 1942, Ft Oglethorpe, Georgia, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
• American Battle Monuments Commission; Arlington, VA; Cemetery Records. Ancestry.com. U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.Ancestry Record 9170 #40853
• TENNESSEE TROOPS REPORTED MISSING, The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Knoxville, Tennessee, 30 Dec 1943, Thu • Page 11
• Mother of Missing Airman Gets Award, The Tennessean, Nashville, Tennessee, 08 Oct 1944, Sun • Page 15
• Lt. Wilfred Tolman Awarded Bronze Star, The Tennessean, Nashville, Tennessee, 07 Oct 1944, Sat • Page 4