Raymond Henry “Ray” Hardy was born on December 16, 1919 in Holderness, New Hampshire to Henry and Carrie Hardy. He was employed in Plymouth before enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps, October 13, 1942. He received his basic training at Miami Beach, Florida, Amarillo Texas, gunnery school, Pyote, Texas, and in Arizona, and was shipped overseas from Nebraska in February. After graduating from the gunnery school, and upon receiving his wings, he gave them to his mother. He reached England about March 1st.

Raymond was a top turret gunner and aerial engineer on a bomber plane, and had taken part in several raids in the European area. He participated in his first important raids in France on March 27 and 28, when 57 Nazi planes were destroyed, and severe damage was done to 12 German airfields and other targets. The third raid in which he took part saw U.S. airmen shoot down 39 German planes in air battles as the Reich was hit through clouds.

On April 24, 1944 aboard B-17 42-31921 "Lil’ Brat", they headed to Dubendorf, Switzerland. They were shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed to Baltenswil, near Munich and scrapped. Raymond was Killed in Action and was temporarily buried He was temporarily buried in what was then the American Cemetery in Münsingen, Switzerland. He is now buried in the Riverside Cemetery, Plymouth, Grafton County, New Hampshire, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/b17/42-31921-lil-brat