Biography
Born in San Francisco, California on January 1st 1923, James C. Ray was never idle as a youth. He worked numerous part time jobs and became an Eagle Scout before graduating from high school at the age of 17. His first employment out of high school was as a steelworker in San Francisco. Later he was sent on assignment to construct a building for the United States Navy in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On December 7th, 1941 he witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor while working a mere 400 yards away from the USS Arizona. Soon after, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and showed an aptitude for flight training. James went on to serve as a B-17 command pilot in the 8th Air Force, 447th Bomb Group while stationed in England. James flew 30 missions, one of which involved an attack on the German Army headquarters in Caen, France on D-Day, June 6th, 1944.
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