Raney, Ray Cooper 1982-09-22
Ray Cooper Raney discusses his World War II combat flying for the Army Air Corps, his capture by German troops and POW internment, and his civilian aviation career following retirement from twenty years in the Air Force.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Ray Cooper Raney
Additional Parties Recorded: None
Date: September 22, 1982
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Interviewer: Mark Wells
Length: 1 hour
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Family background,
Born, Oklahoma (1923),
Move to New Mexico (1927),
First airplane ride,
Curtis Robbins anecdote,
World War II,
Army Air Corps (age 18),
Gunner,
Technical sergeant,
Cadet training,
Description of AT-10,
B-17 assignment,
Advantages,
Flying procedures,
Base training (Rapid City, South Dakota),
Overseas assignment (Stone, England),
European missions,
Typical mission,
Combat flying,
Helmet,
Formation,
Air speed,
Bomb load,
Enemy planes shot down.
Tape 1, Side 2: Last combat mission (March 24, 1944),
"Toonerville Trolley" B-17,
3,000-plane raid,
Target (Munich, Germany),
P-47, P-51 escorts,
Crash landing,
Description of GI uniform,
Capture by Germans,
Prisoner of war experience,
Solitary confinement,
POW Interrogation Center (Frankfurt, Germany),
Stalag-Luft-3,
Escape committee,
Hogan’s Heroes comparison,
Liberation (1945),
Return to U. S. by ship,
Retirement from AF,
Civilian career,
Federal Aviation Administration,
Lubbock, Texas (1969),
Duties,
Aviation growth in Lubbock,
Pilot training,
Impact of 1970 tornado on airport.
Range Dates: 1923-1970
Bulk Dates: 1941-1970
Access Information
Original Recording Format:
Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.
