Posted on 07/02/2020 10:43:00 AM PDT by tomatomaster
WW2 hero passed yesterday, age 95
I’ve posted before about Raymond T. Matheny, my second cousin. He authored the book, “Rite of Passage” describing his experience as a B17 flight engineer, shot down in January 1944, then spent 16 months as POW in Stalag 17. After the war, he eventually became a professor of archeology at BYU. Last summer at age 94, he presented his last paper at an archeology meeting before his retirement.
Some links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Matheny
Interview: https://www.pbsutah.org/sites/default/files/mathenyray_0.pdf
Book: https://www.bookdepository.com/Rite-Passage-Ray-T-Matheny/9780981848914
Article with photos: https://magazine.byu.edu/article/in-the-mayan-jungle/
Article: https://www.deseret.com/1999/7/3/19453785/a-festive-reunion-for-2-vets-br-each-thought-the-other-had-died-in-wwii
photo: https://jazzroc.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/raymatheny.jpg?w=225&h=307
Raymond lived a magnificent and grand life. Part of the greatest generation. There will never be another just like him. He is now resting in peace
RIP, Sir, and thank you for your service.
One of the formative events of my life was landing my first job at age 16 in a place that employed a number of World War II vets part-time. I really learned a lot from those guys that shaped my worldview.
RIP. Thank you for serving.
I saw a quick video posted within the week where an elderly gentleman, who was walking and wearing a military cap, stopped to salute the American flag. Now we see people making millions criticizing our past. Thank you to the true heroes.
God rest his soul and give comfort to those who knew and loved him.
God Speed!
Lefties dont want anyone to salute any representation of our past, even if there were there.
Despicable Scum
Sorry for your loss.
Greatest Gen
later
Bump to a hero...
RIP.
They’re not making any more of these fine men either, I fear.
Thanks for sharing his story brother.
He gave his all. Bless him.
Thank you for sharing his story. Heavenly Father, help us to never forget this great generation.
Prayers for you in your loss, and prayers of thankfulness for this great man and his lifelong service.
Tatt
Here is the clip I saw. Nothing perhaps extraordinary to these heroes, yet it is inspiring in the purest sense and appropriate for the topic at hand...
https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1276998917943693317
Inspiring video clip to watch.
My dad made it a priority to put a flag outside his house every Flag Day, every 4th of July, every Memorial Day, and every President’s Day. When he was unable to do it himself, he asked us to do it. He served in the Navy in WW2. Passed in 2014.
God bless him
Your cousin was shot down on January 5th, 1944. My uncle was the navigator on a B-17 and was shot down on January 11th, one of three survivors from the crew of ten. He also spent over a year in a POW camp.
One can barely imagine what it would be like to be in a POW camp through D-Day and on to the end of the war in Europe. I regret never having had much chance to know my uncle.
RIP. Condolences on the loss of your relative.
Your uncle’s war experience sounds so similar to that of Ray’s. Ray was one of 2 survivors from a crew of 9 (maybe 10). Perhaps they were at the same camp. Here are a couple of links to a website that lists data about Stalag 17, including known POW names at that camp.
http://stalag17b.com/Docs/Stalag17bcom_US_POW_list_2015_02_21_Watermarked.pdf
http://stalag17b.com/files.html
Nope. My recollection is that my uncle was at Stalag Luft I (though I might have the number wrong). As I recall there were four Stalag Lufts. These were prison camps run by the German Air Force who had been given the custody of enemy fliers. The hope was evidently that if the Germans treated our fliers well then the Allies would treat German fliers well.
This might make a lot of sense because early in the war German POWs would mostly be fliers. Perhaps your cousin was not in the Luft camps because he misbehaved some way.
I read some of the information on your cousin and I think it said that of the other 9 crew members 8 were killed. That would make a crew of ten which was the normal crew for a B-17.
My uncle was part of the 303rd Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force. Your cousin was evidently in the 379th Bomb Group. Much of what I know about my uncle's war experiences is from the 303rd Bomb Group web site. I did find one for your cousin's group: http://www.379thbga.org/
I was able to learn about my uncle's crew, the name of his plane, the nose art and other markings, and the missions flown, including the one during which my uncle was shot down.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.