Beeles Raymond Harrison “Ray”

Name:

Raymond Harrison “Ray” Beeles

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Serial Number:

32476179

Unit:

862nd Bomber Squadron, 493rd Bomber Group

Date of Death:

1945-01-10

State:

New York

Cemetery:

Chase Cemetery, Lysander, New York

Plot:

Section 3, Lot 125

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Comments:

Raymond Harrison “Ray” Beeles was born on January 28, 1921, in Himmansville, New York. He was the son of Wesley B. Beeles and Louise F Grey or Gray Beeles.

Raymond served in the 862nd Bomber Squadron, 493rd Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on the B-17 #44-8304 during World War II. He was Killed in Action on January 10, 1945, when their bomber crashed off the end of the runway at Debach and exploded. The airplane had a severe power loss on take-off and crashed at Rookery Farm in Monewdon, England. Four members of the crew were Killed in Action, and five men survived and returned to duty.

SSgt Beeles is now buried in the Chase Cemetery, Lysander, Onondaga County, New York, USA.

Airmen who perished were:
Pilot: William H. Butler
Co-pilot: Sidney B. Jones
Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ray H. Beeles
Tail gunner: August B. Muenzer

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.americanairmuseum.com, b17flyingfortress.de