Fri, May 24, 2013

Raymond Farr is Veteran of the Month

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Raymond Farr


SOUTH PARIS — Raymond Farr is the May Veteran of the Month at the Maine Veterans's Home in South Paris.

Raymond Farr was born on June 7, 1923. He grew up in West Paris and graduated high school in 1942. After high school he tried to enlist in the service and they would not let him join, so he worked in the Navy yard in Portsmouth, NH and had his own crew. He also worked on submarines.

In 1943 he enlisted again and was accepted in the Army Air Corps. This was the time of World War II. He was qualified to fly or be a machinist. He worked as a supply clerk, and also did a lot of photography and did their own developing and printing.

During the war he saw a lot of bombing and was shot at a lot. He was sent to many different places during the war from Sydney, Australia to New Guinea, then to the Philippines and then to the Island of Banyak which is right on the equator.

When the war was over he was sent to Toyko and then eventually was sent home.

While in the service he earned the Good Conduct medal, Victory medal and Asiatic Liberation ribbon with bronze service stars.

After the service he got married and had five children, two girls and three boys. He was married for 61 years. He has nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren, with two more on the way.

After the service he got a job at Penley’s in West Paris. He worked a lot of hours, sometimes even staying overnight. He worked there for 55 years and then retired.

Ray feels as though nobody owes him anything. He enjoys fishing, hunting and loves to walk.

Ray currently lives on the Residential Care Unit.

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