WW2 USAAF Cadet Crash Victim: Manchester NH’s Joseph Francis Roger Raymond (1921-1943)

Photograph of J. Roger Raymond recognition plaque, located in Manchester NH near the southeast corner of Queen City Ave and Second Street. Copyright of Martin Miccio for the City of Manchester, and used here with permission.

One of several Military Squares added following World War 2, by an ordinance passed on 16 December 1947 and signed by Mayor Joseph T. Benoit as follows:
” That the westerly approach to the Queen City Bridge, where Queen City Avenue and Second Street intersects, be officially designated … as “Roger F.J. Raymond Square.” A ceremony was held on 16 December 1947, installing the plaque that reads: ROGER RAYMOND, A/C U.S.A. BORN JANUARY 2, 1921. DIED AUGUST 17, 1943. NORTHWEST CROSS PLAINS, TEXAS

Photograph of Roger Raymond circa 1938 when he played with the Manchester Cardinals baseball team. Courtesy of Gail Wiley whose father, Robert “Curly” Clement was a team member, and her grandfather, Fred Clement, was the manager.

Joseph Roger Raymond was born on 2 January 1921 in Manchester, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, the youngest of 5 children born to Joseph Alfred & Lydia (Dubois) Raymond. His parents were Canadian immigrants who came to Manchester seeking jobs, and his father worked as cobbler [repaired shoes]. Roger grew up in a house at 475 Second Street, on the west side, and graduated from the local schools, including Sacred Heart Grammar School, and West High (Class of 1939). He was active in sports and played on several local base ball teams. The Manchester (NH) City Directory of 1941 shows his occupation as a shoe worker, and that he still lived with his parents. The next year (1942) the directory shows him in the military.

Death record of Roger Raymond.

Roger Raymond was sent to Coleman Municipal Airport in Coleman Texas, as part of the 304th Flying Training Detachment there, a cadet at the AAF Contract Pilot School. Although documents are scarce, it appears that on the 17 August 1943 he was a member of a 3-person crew who left the airfield in a PT-19A airplane with Lew M. Patton as pilot, for training. The records state that an accidental plane crash occurred 30 miles north of Coleman TX (the northwest section of Cross Plains, Texas). Roger was one of three casualties of that crash, from injuries he sustained. [see photo of death record]

Roger’s body was send home for burial, which was performed with full military honor on 23 August 1943 at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Manchester NH.

======PARTIAL GENEALOGY of Joseph Roger Raymond=====

Joseph Alfred Raymond, son of Telesphore & Aldia (Lamire) Raymond was b. abt 1877 in Quebec, Canada; He married 7 May 1900 in Manchester NH to Lydia Dubois [Shortt], dau of Joseph & Mary (Bilodeau) Dubois. She b. 31 July 1881 PQ Canada, and died May 1977. Joseph immigrated to the United States in 1888.
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1921 Manchester City Directory
RAYMOND, J. Alfred (Lydia) boots and shoes 140 School h 475 Second W M
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1910 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester
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1920 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester
Alfred Raymond 43
Lydia Raymond 38
Alfred A. Raymond 18
Henri O. Raymond 14
Berthe P. Raymond 13
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1930 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester > 475 Second Street
Raymond, Alfred J. Head 6800 M W 53 married at age 23 Can-French C-F C-F immigrated 1888 naturalized shoe cobler
Raymond, Lydia wife F W 48 married at age 18 C-F C-F C-f
Raymond Bertha daughter F W 23 single NH Can-F C-F Printer Shoe factory
Raymond Roger son M W 9 single NH Can-F Can-F
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1940 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester > 475 Second Street
Raymond, Bertha Daughter F W 33 single NH shoe worker, shoe factory
Raymond, Lydia wife F W 58 M Canada-French shoe worker shoe factory
Raymond, Alfred J. Head M W 63 married Can-Fr roofer roofing co
Raymond, Roger son M W 19 single NH shoe worker shoe factory [4 yrs of HS]
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1960 Manchester City Directory
RAYMOND, J. Alfred (Lydia) r 238 Kimball Street
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Children of Joseph Alfred & Lydia (Dubois) Raymond:
1. Alfred A. Raymond, b. 30 April 1901 Manchester NH; d. 5 December 1966, buried St. Joseph Cemetery
2. Ida Raymond, b 1903 Manchester NH; d. 29 February 1904 St. Johnsbury VT, 8 months 15 days of meningitis
3. Henri Oscar “Henry” Raymond, b. 1905 Manchester NH, d. 19 Sep 1976; m. 14 October 1924 in Manchester NH to Lydia Martineau, daughter of Alphonse & Pomela (Kirouac) Martineau
4. Berthe P. “Bertha” Raymond, b. 22 January 1907 Manchester NH, died September 1969; unmarried
5. ++Joseph Roger F. Raymond, b 2 January 1921 in Manchester NH (the subject of this story).

NOTE: I would be deeply grateful if any relatives who have more information and/or a photograph of Joseph Roger F. Raymond would contact me through this blog.

[Editor’s Note: This article is one of several I have written at the request of Don Pinard, Department of Public Works, Chief of Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Division, City of Manchester, New Hampshire.  It is a volunteer project (on my part) to better record and share the stories of the men memorialized by the city’s “Military Squares.”  All the information specifically within the body of this project is shared copyright free with the City of Manchester and its representatives, with the exception of photographs provided by family or friends who still retain whatever rights conveyed to them by law.]