This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SGM Mike Vining
to remember
Rector, Raymond (Ray), Pfc.
If you knew or served with this Soldier and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Contact Info
Home Town Rockville
Last Address 19 Hammond Street Rockville CT 06066
Date of Passing Jan 06, 2014
Location of Interment Pleasant Hill Cemetery - Freedom, Maine
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Raymond Edward "Ray" Rector, age 92, of Rockville, Connecticut, beloved husband of 31 years to Shirley Gates Rector passed into the hands of the Lord on 6 January 2014, at Windsor, Connecticut. Ray was born on 26 August 1921, in Cedar Springs, Michigan to the late Orrin Tefft and Mabel Augusta Lowing Rector. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II as part of the anti-artillery service in Germany, he then married Mae Robinson of South Carolina with whom he had three sons; Kenneth, Jack and Ronnie presently residing in South Carolina. Besides his children he is also survived by his six grandchildren; Geoff Rector of Wolcott, Sharon Welehorsky of Naugatuck, Ashley Lalus of Freedom, Maine, Christina Renzullo of Torrington, Matthew and Jason Rector of South Carolina as well as ten great-grandchildren. Besides his parents he was predeceased by four brothers and five sisters. Ray was a quiet man devoted to his "entire" family including his nieces and nephews in Michigan, New Jersey, and Florida. Relatives and friends are welcome to join the family on Thursday, 9 January 2014 from 4 - 7 pm at The Small & Pietras Funeral Home, 65 Elm Street, Rockville, Connecticut. Burial will be private with full military honors some time in May 2014, at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Waldo County, Freedom, Maine.
Other Comments:
Uncle Ray E. Rector (service number 36464461), entered the Army on 11 May 1943, at Kalamzoo, Michigan. He was assigned to 2nd Platoon, B Battery, 556th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion (Mobile), XVIII Corps, Ninth Army. The platoon had four gun sections #5, 6, 7, and 8. Uncle Ray was in section #7. Each gun section had a M1 40mm Bofors Automatic Gun and a M51 Quad .50-caliber machine gun.
The 556th AAA AW BN (Mobile) was organized on 20 March 1943. They were stated at Camp Jackson, South Carolina in the summer of 1944. The Battalion arrived the in European Theater of Operations around mid-September 1944. The 556th saw it first significance combat action during the New Years Day 1945 raids. The Battalion went on to distinguish itself in the protection of the Ninth Army’s Rhine River crossing. In November of 1945, uncle Ray returned to the United States for dischare.
Raymond Edward "Ray" Rector is my maternal uncle. This remembrance profile is maintain by Mike R. Vining, SGM USA (Retired), email: sgmmvining@gmail
Chain of Command 556th AAA (AW) Bn (Mobile) was briefly attached to 102nd Infantry Division near Brunssum - Limburg, the Netherlands (2 November ? 11 November 1944).
