Raymond Martin Whalen.

Raymond Martin Whalen {original name was Martin Raymond Whalen} was
born July 8, 1919, near Poplar Bluff, in the rural community of
Halloran. He was the third child of Martin and Gertrude Whalen.
He attended the Halloran School and when he was in his teens, he
joined the CCC {Civilian Conservation Corps} and served in various
parts of Missouri and at Burns, Oregon.
In September, 1940, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was a First
Sgt. for 4 years and was in combat in the South Pacific at Guadalcanal
and other parts. Some of the places he was stationed during his five
years in the Army is Ft. Lewis, Washington, Camp Hale and Camp Carson
in Colorado, Camp Grumber, Oklahoma, Keocoughtan, Va., Fort Lee and
Camp Patrick Henry in Virginia, New Orleans, Ft. Meade, Maryland, Camp
White, Oregon. His last 6 months were spent at Camp Tulelake,
California, an internment camp for Japanese Americans. He received
his discharge at Camp Pendelton, California, in September 1945.
When stationed at Camp Gruber, near Muskogee, Oklahoma, he met
Annabelle Cagle and they were married in Tulsa, Feb. 12, 1944. She
was from Salina, OK, and employed by Spartan Aircraft in Tulsa.
While living at Tulelake, CA, their first daughter, Sandra Jean was
born August 21, 1945 in a Klammath Falls, OR, hospital.
After Ray's discharge, they returned to Oklahoma and Missouri. He
worked in St. Louis for a while before moving to Oklahoma where he
operated a chicken ranch for several months, near Spavinaw.
While there, their first son, Michael Ray, was born Aug. 13, 1946,
at a hospital in Pryor, OK.
From there they moved to a small farm near Salina, OK, and Ray
attended Veteran's on the job Farm Training. Four years later they
bought a 180 acre farm, where they raised cattle and hogs, and Ray
worked off the farm part time as a heavy equipment operator.
Their second daughter, Marsha Ann was born April 6, 1956, in Pryor.
When she was 2 years old the Ray Whalen Family was honored in 1958 as
the Mayes County, Oklahoma's "Farm Family of the Year."
Ray went into the Grade "A" Dairy business in 1959 and operated the
dairy for 20 years. He sold the dairy cows in June, 1979.
September 22, 1969, another son was born to Ray and Annabelle. His
name is Preston Tyrone Whalen. He sort of fit-in with the grand-kids.
Ray and Annabelle attended the Wickliffe Community Church where Ray
taught Sunday School class and Annabelle served as Secretary and
Treasurer for over 30 years. Ray was partially disabled with
arthritis but maintained a herd of cattle and sold feeder calves. He
belonged to the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans, DAV.
Annabelle belongs to the American Legion, DAV, and VFW Auxiliaries.
She served as Chairman of the Mayes County Election Board and was
School Finance Secretary of Wickliffe School
Ray passed away at a Tulsa Hospital on March 2, 1991. Annabelle
married Robert "Bob" Downum on June 2, 1993 and she still maintains a
residence at the farm that she and Ray had owned for many years.
[FN:Partially taken from Butler County, Missouri History 1849-1988,
Volume 1 page 231:FN][CI:100:?4:CI]]
************************************************************************** Miss you, Daddy~ Ray Whalen 1919-1991

~All too soon the time was spent, for that cotton-topped grandson of immigrants, growing free and wild in the Show-Me sun;
Born to this world with hand-me-down dreams, from those before who set life's schemes, and loved him so, when he was young.
~But that boy from Missouri had his dreams, of catching fish and cutting ties and working that ole' team, but be fore he knew those years were gone, and little of his dreams were passed along.
~He was Master Sargent in World War II, and in Northern Africa he learned of the pain that war can do, then he met Annie and she stole his heart, arm-in-arm, under Annie's charm, new dreams would start.
~For that boy from Missouri had his dreams, of breaking ground on his own farm and raising a family, but before he knew those years were gone, and little of his dreams were passed along.
~He dreamed of all the things he loved in has later days, like the smell of fresh mown hay or the words to Amazing Grace, how he love Jesus, and he longed to be dreaming in blue heaven for all eternity.
~Well that boy from Missouri had his dreams, in recollecting memories to grandkids on his knee~ then before we knew, he was gone, but a little of his dreams are living on~
~In every generation, new dreams find a start, from those who've come before them, passed down through the heart, and in our one big family, we're rooted in life's schemes, of that boy from Missouri and his dreams~.

by Marsha Ann Whalen, his Daughter.

14 June 2014
**************************************************
U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 Recordinfo
about Raymond M Whalen
Name: Raymond M Whalen
Birth Year: 1919
Race: White, citizen
Nativity State or Country: Missouri
State: Missouri
County or City: Butler

Enlistment Date: 14 Sep 1940
Enlistment State: Missouri
Enlistment City: Jefferson Barracks
Branch: Field Artillery
Branch Code: Field Artillery
Grade: Private
Grade Code: Private
Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the Philippine Department
Component: Regular Army (including Officers, Nurses, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted Men)
Source: Civil Life

Education: Grammar school
Marital Status: Single, without dependents
Height: 71
Weight: 161
.