Hilliard Ray Lewis

Name:

Ray Lewis Hilliard

Rank:

First Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-431193

Unit:

66th Bomber Squadron, 44th Bomber Group, Heavy

Date of Death:

1989-12-17

State:

Oklahoma

Cemetery:

Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Florida

Plot:

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Ray Lewis Hilliard was born on November 11, 1918, in Kiefer, Oklahoma. He was the son of James Murray Hilliard and Della Mae Banes Hilliard.

Ray served in the 66th Bomber Squadron, 44th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a bomber pilot during World War II. On January 3, 1943, aboard B-24 #41-23771, their plane crashed near the crossroads south of Little Newcastle returning from a mission to U-Boat yards (submarine) at St. Nazaire, France. Fuel shortage caused the crash. 1Lt Hilliard was injured and hospitalized until January 7.

On May 17, 1943, while serving as pilot on B-24D #42-40130 "Avenger II," the aircraft developed engine trouble while on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Bordeaux, France. He made a forced landing at Lugo-de-Llanera airfield at Asturias, Spain, and the entire crew was interned. They were taken to Gibraltar and returned to Wales on August 8, 1943.

Hilliard served for 20 years before he retired from the U.S. Air Force. He attained the rank of Major. He died on December 17, 1989, at the age of 71, in Bay County, Florida. He is now buried in the Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Panama City, Bay County, Florida, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.americanairmuseum.com