PVT. Ray E. Graves was serving with the 309th Bombardment Group; 378th Bombardment Squadron; stationed at Columbia Army Air Field, South Carolina; in training and preparation for overseas combat duty. New Bomb Groups and Bomb Squadrons were being formed; and many men of the 309th Bomb Group were transferred to either the 310th Bomb Group or the 321st Bomb Group; both of which were also based at Columbia.

His Hometown was listed as that of his sister's residence of St. Cloud, Minnesota.

04 August 1942, PVT. Ray E Graves was listed as a passenger on a training mission flight.

Tragedy struck its first blow at the squadron on August 4th when 2nd Lieutenants Neal Curtis and Charles Pattillo (actually Robert R. Pattillo) crashed to their deaths at the field. They had been but recently checked out. This was the first and only fatal landing accident the squadron has had.

A/C B-25D; serial No. 41-29658
(crash landed at Columbia Army Air Field, SC)

P Curtis, Neal Dow, 2Lt, pilot, 428th BS - DNB
CP Pattillo, Robert R., 2Lt, pilot, 428th BS - DNB
PAX Graves, Ray E., Pvt - DNB
PAX Shuman, Floyd H., Pvt - DNB
PAX Tooke, Alphie V., Pvt - DNB
PAX Streit, Benedict N., Pvt – survived, died 6 Aug 42
PAX Downing, Philip Y., Pvt – survived, status unknown
PAX None