TSGT Ray O Stevens

TSGT Ray Okley Stevens was born, together with his twin TSGT Roy Otey Stevens, on 12 Aug 1919 in Bedford County, Virginia.  Their parents, William Edward and Martha Jane (Spradlin) Stevens were natives of Bedford County. Their grandfather, Alexander Spradlin, had served in H Company 34th Virginia Infantry during the Civil War.  In 1940 Ray was working on the family farm with his father. 

It has been said that many young men joined the National Guard for the dollar a private got for drill, every Tuesday evening.  The Stevens twins both enlisted in A Company 116th Infantry and were with the unit when it was federalized, shipped out to England and boarded ships for the D-Day assault at Omaha Beach.  Roy's boat was sunk he was picked up by returning landing craft and then put ashore later in the day but Ray died on the beach that morning. 

TSGT Ray Stevens is buried with many fellow soldiers and family members in Greenwood Cemetery in Bedford, Virginia.