Harry Gray
Harry Gifford Gray was born November 11th, 1931 in Bakersfield, California. He attended East Bakersfield High School where he met the love of his life, Helen Larrainzar, and was subsequently married to her in his Air Force uniform. While serving overseas in Korea, he would petition successfully to have an F86 fighter named after Helen. Harry was a staunch believer in hard work, equality, and fair treatment; skills he honed while in the Air Force. He passed these traits on to his family; he was loved as a kind man who worked hard for his loved ones and country.
Service Record
Harry Gray began active service in the United States Air Force on February 8th, 1951. Boot camp was completed at Lackland Air Force Base in Bexar County, Texas. Harry Gray began his specialization as an Air Force mechanic in Tillamook, Oregon from May 1951 until August 1951. His education continued at the Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois from August 1951 until September 1951. He took leave for 30 days after completing his training, then shipped overseas to the K2 Air Force Base in Daegu, Korea where he served as a mechanic from December 1951 until November 1952. After the Armistice, Harry Gray was stationed in Fairchild Air Force Base in Fairchild, Washington from December 1951 through July 10th 1953 when he was honorably discharged and transferred to Inactive Reserves. He received his final discharge on July 10th 1958.
Arlington Aeronautical School - Tillamook, Oregon - 1951
Arlington Aeronautical School – Tillamook, Oregon – 1951
1st Row – Left to Right
Bill Moore – Chicago, Illinois/Eldon Johnson – Paxton, Illinois/Ralph Balintine – Texas/Jerry Darling – Sacramento, California/Harry Gray – Bakersfield, California/Klein – Wisconsin/Montgomery – Missouri/Gibson – California/Myer – Indiana/Gallup – Illinois/Jirka – Nebraska/Vardamin – Indiana/”Lenny” – Minnesota/Anderson – North Carolina
2nd Row – Left to Right
Rocko – Illinois/McCapes – San Luis Obispo, California/Shargi – New Orleans/Wicks – Texas/Kerr – Inglewood, California/Shultz – Ohio/Dillon – Michigan/Housg – Missouri/Henry – Missouri/Seal – Indiana/Prussia – Nebraska/Huntley – Hawaii/Meeks -Iowa
3rd Row – Left to Right
Alexander – Michigan/Blue – Utah/Nagle – Chicago, Illinois/Walters – Iowa/Pachicco – Sacramento, California/Whitfield – North Carolina/Arbor – Louisiana/Conway – Chicago, Illinois/Langieng – San Francisco, California/Woods – Washington/Torpey – Washington/Fowler – Minnesota/Real – South Carolina
4th Row – Left to Right
Paterson – Tennessee/Nance – North Carolina/”Jake” – Chicago, Illinois/Scott – Washington/”Red” – Indiana/Strelow – Michigan/Oase – Washington/Hisey – Indiana/Nusser – California/Walton – Georgia/Hibbs – California
Boysan – “Korean Houseboy eating Hi Ho Crackers like mad”
March 1952 – Korea
Sunbathing Air Force – Don Puich
Tillamook Oregon – Air Force Mechanic Training
Harry Gray aboard friend’s plane.
December 1951
Harry posing in front of the Willamette River prior to heading overseas.
Portland Oregon – 1951
Military Payment Certificate
Getting Tricky on Base
Re-United in Portland
Harry Gray with friends Charlie and Bob
Korean War - Key Events
September 12, 1950
North Korean troops reach their farthest point of advance. Although thousands of UN troops have arrived to reinforce South Korea, months of fighting have reduced the area under their control to a 5,000-square-mile rectangle centered on the critical southeastern port of Pusan. By the time the North Korean invasion force reaches the “Pusan Perimeter,” its strength has been nearly cut in half and it is almost entirely lacking in armor.
These events are taken from the Encyclopedia Britannica
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