Raymond Lewis Cassill was born on December 28, 1916, in Clay County, Missouri. He was the son of George Delbert Cassill and Levada Ellen Wilhelm Cassill. He was employed as a driver before enlisting in the service on December 5, 1940. He served in the 28th Materiel Squadron, 20th Air Base Group, as a Private during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, Pvt Cassill was one of the 10,000 to 12,000 Americans who were forced to march over 60 miles under brutal conditions, resulting in 1,000 to 5,000 deaths due to starvation, dehydration, and abuse. Survivors were sent to Camp O'Donnell, where dire conditions, including overcrowding, malnutrition, and disease, caused an additional 1,500 to 2,300 American deaths within weeks. Those who survived faced ongoing hardships, including transfers to other camps and forced labor, where many continued to suffer or die.

Pvt Cassill was among the American soldiers who lost their lives in captivity on July 5, 1942. He is now buried in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines. He also has a cenotaph in the Mount Moriah Cemetery, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, USA.

Source of information: www.livescience.com