Raymond J. Small, World War II CasualtyPorter County Data on World War II Casualties . . . .

Raymond J. Small, Junior
Technical Sergeant (Radio Operator), 447th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, United States Army
Date of Birth: July 9, 1921
Date of Death: April 29, 1944, Germany
Burial: Calumet Park Cemetery, Merrillville, Lake County, Indiana
Cause of Death: Killed in Action (Flying Fortress Shot Down)
Hometown: Valparaiso, Hobart


Newspaper Notices:

Body of Hobart Veteran On Way Home For Burial

Word was received this week by Mrs. Doris Small of Hobart, that the body of her husband, Tech. Sgt. Raymond J. Small, is being returned from overseas for re-burial. The body will arrive in Hobart within the next two weeks and will be taken to Calumet Park cemetery, near Crown Point, for final burial. He has been temporarily buried in the Military cemetery at Margraten, Holland.

Raymond, son of George and Nannette Small, was born in Hobart July 9, 1921, and was killed in World War II April 29, 1944. He was married in 1942 to Doris Schnabel of Hobart.

He served in the 8th Air Force as a radio operator on a B-17 and was stationed in England for 6 months before his death. He was killed while on a bombing raid over Germany. This was his 29th mission, having one more mission to complete before he would have been entitled to return to the States.

Surviving are his wife, Doris and daughter, Sharon Rae, of Hobart; his father, George Small, of Crown Point; two brothers, George, Jr., of Valparaiso, and Edward of Hobart; two sisters, Mrs. Hazel Marx of Crown Point, and Mrs. Nannette Collins of Valparaiso.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; August 6, 1949; Volume 23, Number 29, Page 2, Column 4



War Casualties To Date Are 80 Dead, 27 Captive, 139 Wounded, 9 Missing

Raymond J. Small is reported as killed in The Vidette-Messenger enumeration of county war dead.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; April 16, 1945; Volume 18, Page 1, Column 7


The Vidette-Messenger's Local News Review of 1944

May 20 -- Tech. Sgt. Raymond J. Small, U. S. Army Air Corps, reported missing over Germany.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; December 29, 1944; Volume 17, Page 6, Column 5


THE HOME FRONT

Office of Public Relations -- 8th A. A. F. Bomber Station, England -- T-Sgt. Raymond, J. Small, Hobart, Ind., radio operator gunner on the Flying Fortress "Ace High" has been awarded the third oak cluster to the air medal. The presentation was made by his group commander, Col. Hunter Harris, Jr., and the citation read "For exceptionally meritorious achievement, while participating in five separate bomber missions over enemy occupied continental Europe. The courage, coolness, and skill displayed by T-Sgt. Small upon these occasions reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. E. Small, Valparaiso, and husband of Mrs. Doris C. Small, Hobart, R. 1." Will relatives please send service address for publication in H. F.?.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; June 6, 1944; Volume 17, Page 2, Column 4

Return to List of Porter County World War II Casualties

Information abstracted and transcribed by Steven R. Shook

 

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