| Maurice Howard Raley was born in Cromwell, Ohio County, Kentucky on 15 Jun 1922 to Lanzo and Anna Elizabeth Raley. He was the eleventh of thirteen children. He had two older brothers and on younger brother in active military service during the war. All but Maurice returned home to the family.
When he enlisted in the U.S. Army on 13 Oct 1942 in Evansville, Indiana (about 75 miles from Ohio County, Kentucky) he was 20 years old and listed his occupation as an automobile serviceman. Two weeks later, on 27 Oct 1942 during his medical examination at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, he was listed as standing 5"9', weighed 150 pounds, and had a 30 inch waist. ASN 35714386 was assigned to him.
Less than two years later, 24 year old Maurice Howard Raley was killed in action. In a letter dated 24 Jul 1944 to his mother from Hayes H. Webster, Regimental Chaplain, 330th Infantry, the Chaplain wrote:
It is with a feeling of deepest sympathy that I confirm the death of your son, killed in action in France on 10 Jul 1944. Company I, of which your son was a member, was attacking well fortified enemy positions near the town of Hotot, France, and was subjected to heavy enemy artillery and mortar fire. During this action, your son was hit by shell fragments and instantly killed.
Your son is at rest in our U.S. Military Cemetery at St Mere Eglise, France, and appropriate funeral rites were observed at the time of his burial by the Army Chaplain of the Protestant faith.
This information was generously provided for by Tim Cox. |
