Son sends 90th birthday wishes to a 'little friend'

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. David Raymond
  • Special to the Tailwind
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  A term used by bomber crews during World War II over the war-torn skies of Europe when in need of help, U.S. Army Air Force 1st Lt. Charles J. Raymond is one such little friend.

Assigned to the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group at Boxted, England, on Aug. 19, 1944, Raymond flew his P-47 Thunderbolt on numerous combat sorties, ranging from bomber escort to fighter sweep missions.

During the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, he flew ground support missions. By Victory in Europe Day in May 1945, Raymond had flown a total of 54 combat missions in victory over opposing forces in Europe, accumulating 237 combat hours resulting in nine Air Medals with three enemy aircraft destroyed and 10 damaged.

At war's end, Raymond volunteered to stay in Europe, flying cargo support missions from Paris across Europe as a C-47 Skytrain pilot, operations officer and commanding officer with the 312th Ferrying Squadron, 323rd Transport Command Squadron and 743rd Air Material Squadron respectively, from September 1945 to May 1946. During this time,
Raymond courted and married his wife, Frances "Joey" Jones in Paris on Sept.21, 1946.

Raymond returned stateside in 1947 with his new bride as the U.S. Army Air Force became today's United States Air Force.

He transitioned from propeller-driven aircraft into jets and was promoted to the rank of captain, becoming an instructor pilot flying the T-33A Shooting Star advanced jet trainer at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.

Raymond's 20-year active duty career included such highlights as being presented with Chinese aviator wings after training a cadre of Chinese pilots to fly jet aircraft. He held a number of different positions, ranging from commander of the 3710th Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, to a headquarters staff officer until retiring from Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., as a major on May 1, 1963.

Upon his retirement, he moved to Dublin, Ireland, where he lived for the next 34 years until returning to the states, eventually settling in Vacaville in 1995. Charles, along with Joey, who died in December 2008, raised three children, Edward, Pamela, and David, who have in turn had six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

For more than 12 years, this little friend continues to support the men and women of Travis, their families and all the patients that pass through David Grant USAF Medical Center as a volunteer. He has seen many changes within the medical center during this time, along with the comings and goings -- and sometimes return for a second or third assignment -- of various medical personnel, civilian workers and volunteers.

Reporting at 6 a.m. to open the DGMC chapel every Monday through Friday, Raymond - known as "Charlie" by medical staff and fellow volunteers - provides patients, family members and DGMC personnel with a quiet retreat to enjoy a cup of coffee or a helping hand in time of need. Armed with a wealth of stories and life experiences to share with both young and old alike with a little dash of Irish charm tossed in, Charlie celebrates his ninth decade on this planet Saturday.

Happy 90th birthday, little friend -- my Dad and hero.