Last Known Activity
Raymond Anderson Boulter was born on December 24, 1919 in Tyler, Texas. His parents were Robert S. and Cecile Amy Taylor Boulter. The US Censuses of 1920 and 1940 shows the family residing in Smith County, Texas, outside Tyler.
Boulter enlisted in the US Army Air Forces on December 19, 1941, in Dallas, Texas. His enlistment records show he enlisted as an Aviation Cadet, had completed 3 years of college (unnamed,) and his occupation field is listed as "actors/actresses."
Evidently, he completed pilot training, and was awarded wings and a commission, although details have not been located. His first official appearance in the military annals is arriving at Molesworth, England in October, 1944. He was assigned as First Pilot and was given a combat crew.
He flew only 3 combat missions. On November 10, 1944, the designated target were the Ostheim and Butzweilerhof airfields near Cologne, Germany. While on the bomb run, the aircraft was struck by flak that blew away the #3 engine and the right wheel assembly. The side panels above the bomb bays were blown off, also.
The aircraft peeled to right, began a steep dive partially under control, with #3 nacelle blazing. Eye witnesses state they saw three men exit the ship, but no open parachutes. Somehow, all but 2 of the crew survived. Boulter and the togglier were killed in the crash. All others were captured by German troops.
The 2 dead men were buried in a cemetery outside Eudenbach, Germany in what German records record as "a double grave near the right entrance." It is not sure if Boulter's body was recovered later, as no burial site is listed. He is honored on the Walls of the Missing in the American Cemetery in Henri-Chapelle, Belguim.
There are discrepancies in the life records of Lt Boulter concerning marriage. One source states he was married to Frances Nerren; another source (Next of Kin designator) states his wife was Ida E. Boulter. Research continues.
www.findagrave.com/search
www.ancestry.com/search
www.303rdbg.com/missionreport/271.pdf
www.303rdbg.com/personnel
www.303rdbg.com/combat crews
US Census 1920
US Census 1940
NARA Enlistment Records
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Comments/Citation
Raymond A. Boulter was the assigned pilot of B-17G # 42-31830, nicknamed "Marie", assigned to the 359th Bomb Squadron.
Missing Air Crew Report 10355 was issued. Mission loading lists state the crew involved were:
1 Lt Raymond A. Boulter p
2 Lt Arthur F. Perry c-p
2 Lt James M. Craven nav
TSgt Lewis P. Ficken togglier
TSgt Glenn E. Wyly eng/tt gun
TSgt Harold P. McKelvey r/o
TSgt Carl E. Frymoyer btg
SSgt Joseph J. Sanzone wg
SSgt Stanley Finch tail gun
Ranks and grades as of mission date.
In the crew photo, Boulter is in the front row, at right.
Service photo source:
www.findagrave.com
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