Post by connie on Nov 21, 2014 11:27:15 GMT -5
Ray, Marion Staff Sgt 424 D, POW Stalags XII-A & II-A
OBITUARY NOTES obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Marion-Ray&lc=7220&pid=172032654&mid=6077593
Born April 4, 1924, Marion Ray passed away in August 2014 at the age of 90. His obituary noted that:
"He served 25 years in the United States Army. He survived the Korean War, being a Prisoner of War in World War II, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel".
In the 106th he served as a heavy weapons machine gun squad leader.
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD TRIBUTE to Marion Ray Dec 8, 2006 on release of a book, based on POW camp diary & experiences: darn Cold & Starving*: www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2006/12/08/extensions-of-remarks-section/article/E2174-1
TRIBUTE TO SGT. MARION RAY
______
HON. JOHN SHIMKUS
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sgt. Marion Ray on
the book signing release for his book, darn Cold and Starving, which
tells his story as a prisoner of war. He was part of the 106th Infantry
Division, 424th Regiment, First Battalion.
Sgt. Ray and fellow infantrymen were captured on December 17, 1944,
by two German soldiers in Winterspelt, Germany, and were held until the
spring of 1945. This was the first day of the Battle of the Bulge.
During his time as a POW, Sgt. Ray was held in three different
internment camps. He uses his book to describe the main hardships and
difficulties he encountered.
It is a pleasure to thank Sgt. Marion Ray for his service to our
great Nation. I appreciate his service and sacrifice and know his book
makes a great contribution to our Nation's history.
ARTICLE FROM ALTON , ILLINOIS TELEGRAPH found on Indiana Military Site: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Current%20Affairs/Marion%20Ray.htm
It was in the afternoon of Dec. 17, 1944, in Winterspelt, Germany, close to the western edge of the country. Ray’s machine gun quit firing; a lieutenant told him to take it back into the rear of a house, and told Ray and the section sergeant to get it fixed. The two slid into the basement of a house and started to strip the gun down. The problem was the head space between the barrel and the bolt of the gun.
"I had gotten it adjusted and was putting it back together when the platoon sergeant slid down and said, ‘Get the hell out of here. There are Germans all around,’" Ray recalled. "He went back out the window, the section sergeant went out, and I went out, leaving the gun there. We were in the gully between the road and the hedge, and the platoon sergeant went through, and as I went through and waited for the section sergeant to get through, then about that time heard the voice say, ‘Hans up.’ ...
RAY'S BOOK: darn Cold and Starving * 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3820/thread
* The filters on this discussion board keep changing the first word in the title of Marion Ray's book. You'll have to hit the book link for the real title. It is not very shocking but is accurate and appropriate!
VETERAN'S HISTORY PROJECT VIDEO INTERVIEWl: 72 minute video interview: memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.80245/
SCRAPBOOK ON INDIANA MILITARY SITE (German-owned scrapbook picked up after liberation; personal items added): www.indianamilitary.org/German%20PW%20Camps/Prisoner%20of%20War/PW%20Camps/Stalag%20II-A%20Neubrandenburg/Ray-Marion%202-A/Ray-Marion-Book2.pdf
MANEUVERS AWARD 1 March 1944 Nashville, Tennessee; Citation for Outstanding Achievement to then PFC Marion Ray of Illinois (scroll down to Section 4): www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/REFERENCES/1944-M-003-BS-SM-Citation/101-3.htm
For More information on POW Camps that held members of the 106th, including II-A in Neubrandenberg, Germany see: 106thdivision.proboards.com/thread/255/camps-held-members-106th
Stalag II-A: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3924/thread
Stalag XII A 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/5020/thread
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