BOWERS RAYMOND C

CW4 Raymond "Ray" C. Bowers was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 12/20/2008 at the age of 80.4 from Heart attack
Lakewood, WA
Flight Class 54-G
Date of Birth 08/09/1928
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with USAAMMC in 67-68
This information was provided by Barry Geller, Don Joyce

More detail on this person: Raymond C. Bowers (RC) 8/9/1928 - 12/20/2008 Born in Thomasville, North Carolina on August 9, 1928 to William and Marjorie Bowers, the youngest of five children. He graduated in 1945 from Thomasville High School. He joined the Army in 1949, and was stationed at Fort Lawton in Seattle. He met and married Jeanne McGuire in 1950 in Port Orchard, WA. His distinguished Army career spanned 20 years and included flying early design helicopters in some of the most dangerous conditions imaginable, pioneering the use of rotary-wing aircraft for search and rescue in the Arctic in the early 50's, and landing test equipment at ground zero during three atom bomb tests. His proudest achievement was being the first pilot selected as a member of the US Army Executive Flight Detachment. He was the last surviving member of the initial team. The detachment was the helicopter service for the President of the United States. During his assignment at the White House, he became the first pilot to land a helicopter on the White House Lawn. He served in both Korea and Vietnam and at many far posts defending our nation. After retiring from the service, Dad worked as a computer programmer and was instrumental in design of the Weyerhaeuser Longview Fiber plant. In 1987, he became an accomplished carpenter, supplying millwork and custom wood products to local businesses and building contractors. He was a member of the Lions Club Int'l, the US Army Otter-Caribou Association, and Hoo-Hoo Int'l. Ray is survived by his devoted wife of 58 years, Jeanne (McGuire) E Bowers, their four children, Bob (Marian), Becke Holmes (Doug), Jerry (Joan), and Cindy Crotty (Brian), his sister Marie E (Paul) Waters, his brothers Wilbur (Marie) and Charles. His grandchildren are Tanya, Kristina, Keith, Kris, Jeff, Kaitlyn and Megan, and great-grandchildren are Alyssa, Julian, Atiyana and Ava. Dad joins his mother and father and brother Dalton in eternal peace and happiness. Memorial service will be held Jan 17, 2009 at Lake City Community Church, 8810 Lawndale Ave., SW, Lakewood, WA (253-582-3899). Interment at Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent.

From: News Tribune, The (Tacoma, WA) - Sunday, January 11, 2009

Burial information: Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent, WA

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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Date posted on this site: 01/11/2025