 B26.COM |
Guest Book | Pages & Links |
Lt. Col. Ray A. Ragsdill, Marauder Man
387th Bomb Group of
the 557th Bomb Squadron
.jpg)
Ray was born in Bogata, Texas on 22 Mar 1924. At the time of his enlistment on 3
Nov 1942, he was a sheet metal worker living in Tacoma, Washington. Ray was in
the 387th Bomb Group of the 557th Bomb Squadron. He was a Lieutenant and the
co-pilot of the B-26 Marauder named Baby Bumps II. He served in the 387th from
late 1944 until the end of the war.
Ray received an honorable discharge on 10 Jan 1946. He re-enlisted on 1 May 1951
to serve in the Korean War. He first flew the P-51 Mustang, then the Lockheed
P-80/F-80 Shooting Star, and then the F-86 Sabre. Ray remained in the Air Force
and served during the Vietnam War. In the early 1960’s, Ray was stationed at
Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Japan. From 1965 to his retirement in 1968, he was
commander of Flight Training at Randolph AFB. He retired 31 May 1968 at rank of
Lieutenant Colonel.
Ray founded Associated Realty in 1969. He became President of the San Antonio
Board of Realtors in 1977, and was named Realtor of the Year the following year.
He was director of the Texas Association of Realtors from 1978 to 1985, and was
director of the National Association of Realtors from 1980 to 1985. He was also
a founding member of the S.A.B.O.R. Federal Credit Union. Ray died at the age of
61 on 5 Nov 1985. He was buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. At
graveside there wasn’t a dry eye as F-15 Eagles conducted the Missing Man
flyover. He was a Great Patriot and Warrior for this country he loved so much!
Ray married Lillie Mae Boyd in 1944 while at Barksdale Field, just prior to him
leaving for England. We laid her to rest next to Ray on 10 Oct 2019. She was
just days from her 94th birthday.
Thank you B-26.COM for the opportunity to tell Ray’s story.
Milton Dean Scott Jr. (Ray & Lillie Mae’s nephew)