This Deceased Army Profile is not currently maintained by any Member.
If you would like to take responsibility for researching and maintaining this Deceased profile please click
HERE
Contact Info
Home Town Saint Louis, Missouri
Last Address O'Fallon, Missouri Buried at Bellerive Heritage Gardens, Creve Coeur, Missouri.
Date of Passing Feb 27, 2008
Wall/Plot Coordinates Unknown
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Husband of Joyce Meyer (nee Middleton); father of Alyce (Jay) Traxel and Raye Jean Dawson; grandfather of Timothy Turner, Tara Turner, Lauren Dawson and Leslie Waters; great-grandfather of Gabriel, Loralei and Jackson Turner; brother of Warren J. (Mary Ellen) Meyer.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Edmund F. and Ella Meyer, infant brother, infant sister, and his first wife, Margie Meyer.
Ray was a buyer with McDonnell Douglas. He served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. He was a Captain in the Air Force, and a pilot who flew a B-17 Bomber with the 8th Air Force, 493rd Bomb Group. He was a member and Past Master of Bridgeton Masonic Lodge #80.
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Normandy Campaign (1944)/Battle for Caen
From Month/Year
June / 1944
To Month/Year
July / 1944
Description The Battle for Caen from June–August 1944 was a battle between Allied forces of the mainly Anglo-Canadian Second Army and German forces of Panzergruppe West during the Battle of Normandy. The Allies aimed to take the French city of Caen, one of the largest cities in Normandy, on D-Day. Caen was a vital objective for several reasons. Firstly, it lay astride the Orne River and Caen Canal; these two water obstacles could strengthen a German defensive position if not crossed. Secondly, Caen was a road hub; in German hands it would enable the enemy to shift forces rapidly. Thirdly, the area around Caen was relatively open, especially compared to the bocage country in the west of Normandy. This area was valued for airfield construction.
On D-Day, Caen was an objective for the British 3rd Infantry Division and remained the focal point for a series of battles throughout June, July and into August. The battle did not go as planned for the Allies, instead dragging on for two months, because German forces devoted most of their reserves to holding Caen, particularly their armoured reserves. As a result German forces facing the American invasion thrust further west were spread thin, relying on the rough terrain of the back country to slow down the American advance. With so many German divisions held up defending Caen, the American forces were eventually able to break through to the south and east, threatening to encircle the German forces in Normandy from behind.
The old city of Caen—with many buildings dating back to the Middle Ages—was largely destroyed by Allied bombing and the fighting. The reconstruction of Caen lasted until 1962. Today, little of the pre-war city remains.
