Louis E. Raffety (sometimes misspelled as Rafferty)was the son of Lewis E. Raffety and Hazel Machen. His father had served in World War I as a private in Company C, 2nd Engineer Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, seeing combat service in the trenches in France. He died in 1929 when Lt. Raffety was only 8 years old.
Lt. Raffety was the husband of Alice Marie Campbell, who he married in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas, on 2/8/1941. They had one daughter.
Lt. Raffety attended Pine Bluff High School and worked as a caretaker at the National Guard Armory. He joined the Guard on 12/23/1940. He received his basic training at Camp Robinson, Arkansas, and then saw service with his unit in Alaska. Upon returning to the United States, he entered into Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Georgia, on 2/23/1943 with the rank of Master Sergeant (normally the rank in OCS is Staff Sergeant) until he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on 5/26/1943. He was appointed as an instructor at the school but in August of 1943 he transferred to the Paratroopers and attended Airborne School. After graduating from jump school, Lt. Raffety was sent to Rigging and Maintenance School. After completing that course, he was sent to Camp McCall, North Carolina, for intensive overseas training. After that final round of stateside training, Lt. Raffety departed the United States and landed in Northern Ireland in February 1944, and then on to England to prepare for the invasion of France. He was one of the first Airborne officers to land on French soil on D-Day, 6/6/1944 due to his assignment to the 101st Airborne Division. Lt. Raffety was also later involved in the heavy fighting around Cherbourg and all other engagements his regiment participated in until they were returned to England for rest, re-fitting and further training. On 9/17/1944 the 101st took part in OPERATION MARKET GARDEN, the invasion of Holland. Lt. Raffety was assigned as a platoon commander, Company "C", 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. His platoon was involved in heavy fighting and he was wounded in the legs by shrapnel on 9/17/1944. Ever the resolved and dedicated soldier, he did not let these wounds debilitate him and he was soon back in charge of his men. Lt. Raffety was killed in action leading his platoon against the enemy on 9/30/1944 outside of Eindhoven, Holland. He was buried in the Airborne Cemetery at Zon then later transferred to his permanent burial site at Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margarten, Holland.
1st Lt. Louis E. Raffety, Sn# 0-1320181 was the recipient of the following decorations for his service and supreme sacrifice for this nation and the Allied cause during World War II:
- Army Parachutists Badge with 2 Combat Jump Stars and Arrowhead Device
- Combat Infantry Man's Badge
- Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" device for valor
- Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service (awarded 1947)
- Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
- Army Good Conduct Medal
- American Defense Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (for service in Alaska)
- European Theater Campaign Medal with three battle stars and arrowhead
- World War II Victory Medal
- Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- French Fourragère Arm Cord
- Dutch Orange Lanyard Arm Cord
- Normandie Commemorative Medal
- Sharpshooter Badge with Rifle Bar, Browning Automatic Rifle Bar and Pistol Bar
Lt. Raffety was the husband of Alice Marie Campbell, who he married in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas, on 2/8/1941. They had one daughter.
Lt. Raffety attended Pine Bluff High School and worked as a caretaker at the National Guard Armory. He joined the Guard on 12/23/1940. He received his basic training at Camp Robinson, Arkansas, and then saw service with his unit in Alaska. Upon returning to the United States, he entered into Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Georgia, on 2/23/1943 with the rank of Master Sergeant (normally the rank in OCS is Staff Sergeant) until he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on 5/26/1943. He was appointed as an instructor at the school but in August of 1943 he transferred to the Paratroopers and attended Airborne School. After graduating from jump school, Lt. Raffety was sent to Rigging and Maintenance School. After completing that course, he was sent to Camp McCall, North Carolina, for intensive overseas training. After that final round of stateside training, Lt. Raffety departed the United States and landed in Northern Ireland in February 1944, and then on to England to prepare for the invasion of France. He was one of the first Airborne officers to land on French soil on D-Day, 6/6/1944 due to his assignment to the 101st Airborne Division. Lt. Raffety was also later involved in the heavy fighting around Cherbourg and all other engagements his regiment participated in until they were returned to England for rest, re-fitting and further training. On 9/17/1944 the 101st took part in OPERATION MARKET GARDEN, the invasion of Holland. Lt. Raffety was assigned as a platoon commander, Company "C", 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. His platoon was involved in heavy fighting and he was wounded in the legs by shrapnel on 9/17/1944. Ever the resolved and dedicated soldier, he did not let these wounds debilitate him and he was soon back in charge of his men. Lt. Raffety was killed in action leading his platoon against the enemy on 9/30/1944 outside of Eindhoven, Holland. He was buried in the Airborne Cemetery at Zon then later transferred to his permanent burial site at Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margarten, Holland.
1st Lt. Louis E. Raffety, Sn# 0-1320181 was the recipient of the following decorations for his service and supreme sacrifice for this nation and the Allied cause during World War II:
- Army Parachutists Badge with 2 Combat Jump Stars and Arrowhead Device
- Combat Infantry Man's Badge
- Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" device for valor
- Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service (awarded 1947)
- Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
- Army Good Conduct Medal
- American Defense Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (for service in Alaska)
- European Theater Campaign Medal with three battle stars and arrowhead
- World War II Victory Medal
- Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- French Fourragère Arm Cord
- Dutch Orange Lanyard Arm Cord
- Normandie Commemorative Medal
- Sharpshooter Badge with Rifle Bar, Browning Automatic Rifle Bar and Pistol Bar
Louis E. Raffety (sometimes misspelled as Rafferty)was the son of Lewis E. Raffety and Hazel Machen. His father had served in World War I as a private in Company C, 2nd Engineer Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, seeing combat service in the trenches in France. He died in 1929 when Lt. Raffety was only 8 years old.
Lt. Raffety was the husband of Alice Marie Campbell, who he married in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas, on 2/8/1941. They had one daughter.
Lt. Raffety attended Pine Bluff High School and worked as a caretaker at the National Guard Armory. He joined the Guard on 12/23/1940. He received his basic training at Camp Robinson, Arkansas, and then saw service with his unit in Alaska. Upon returning to the United States, he entered into Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Georgia, on 2/23/1943 with the rank of Master Sergeant (normally the rank in OCS is Staff Sergeant) until he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on 5/26/1943. He was appointed as an instructor at the school but in August of 1943 he transferred to the Paratroopers and attended Airborne School. After graduating from jump school, Lt. Raffety was sent to Rigging and Maintenance School. After completing that course, he was sent to Camp McCall, North Carolina, for intensive overseas training. After that final round of stateside training, Lt. Raffety departed the United States and landed in Northern Ireland in February 1944, and then on to England to prepare for the invasion of France. He was one of the first Airborne officers to land on French soil on D-Day, 6/6/1944 due to his assignment to the 101st Airborne Division. Lt. Raffety was also later involved in the heavy fighting around Cherbourg and all other engagements his regiment participated in until they were returned to England for rest, re-fitting and further training. On 9/17/1944 the 101st took part in OPERATION MARKET GARDEN, the invasion of Holland. Lt. Raffety was assigned as a platoon commander, Company "C", 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. His platoon was involved in heavy fighting and he was wounded in the legs by shrapnel on 9/17/1944. Ever the resolved and dedicated soldier, he did not let these wounds debilitate him and he was soon back in charge of his men. Lt. Raffety was killed in action leading his platoon against the enemy on 9/30/1944 outside of Eindhoven, Holland. He was buried in the Airborne Cemetery at Zon then later transferred to his permanent burial site at Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margarten, Holland.
1st Lt. Louis E. Raffety, Sn# 0-1320181 was the recipient of the following decorations for his service and supreme sacrifice for this nation and the Allied cause during World War II:
- Army Parachutists Badge with 2 Combat Jump Stars and Arrowhead Device
- Combat Infantry Man's Badge
- Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" device for valor
- Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service (awarded 1947)
- Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
- Army Good Conduct Medal
- American Defense Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (for service in Alaska)
- European Theater Campaign Medal with three battle stars and arrowhead
- World War II Victory Medal
- Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- French Fourragère Arm Cord
- Dutch Orange Lanyard Arm Cord
- Normandie Commemorative Medal
- Sharpshooter Badge with Rifle Bar, Browning Automatic Rifle Bar and Pistol Bar
Lt. Raffety was the husband of Alice Marie Campbell, who he married in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas, on 2/8/1941. They had one daughter.
Lt. Raffety attended Pine Bluff High School and worked as a caretaker at the National Guard Armory. He joined the Guard on 12/23/1940. He received his basic training at Camp Robinson, Arkansas, and then saw service with his unit in Alaska. Upon returning to the United States, he entered into Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Georgia, on 2/23/1943 with the rank of Master Sergeant (normally the rank in OCS is Staff Sergeant) until he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on 5/26/1943. He was appointed as an instructor at the school but in August of 1943 he transferred to the Paratroopers and attended Airborne School. After graduating from jump school, Lt. Raffety was sent to Rigging and Maintenance School. After completing that course, he was sent to Camp McCall, North Carolina, for intensive overseas training. After that final round of stateside training, Lt. Raffety departed the United States and landed in Northern Ireland in February 1944, and then on to England to prepare for the invasion of France. He was one of the first Airborne officers to land on French soil on D-Day, 6/6/1944 due to his assignment to the 101st Airborne Division. Lt. Raffety was also later involved in the heavy fighting around Cherbourg and all other engagements his regiment participated in until they were returned to England for rest, re-fitting and further training. On 9/17/1944 the 101st took part in OPERATION MARKET GARDEN, the invasion of Holland. Lt. Raffety was assigned as a platoon commander, Company "C", 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. His platoon was involved in heavy fighting and he was wounded in the legs by shrapnel on 9/17/1944. Ever the resolved and dedicated soldier, he did not let these wounds debilitate him and he was soon back in charge of his men. Lt. Raffety was killed in action leading his platoon against the enemy on 9/30/1944 outside of Eindhoven, Holland. He was buried in the Airborne Cemetery at Zon then later transferred to his permanent burial site at Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margarten, Holland.
1st Lt. Louis E. Raffety, Sn# 0-1320181 was the recipient of the following decorations for his service and supreme sacrifice for this nation and the Allied cause during World War II:
- Army Parachutists Badge with 2 Combat Jump Stars and Arrowhead Device
- Combat Infantry Man's Badge
- Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" device for valor
- Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service (awarded 1947)
- Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
- Army Good Conduct Medal
- American Defense Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (for service in Alaska)
- European Theater Campaign Medal with three battle stars and arrowhead
- World War II Victory Medal
- Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- French Fourragère Arm Cord
- Dutch Orange Lanyard Arm Cord
- Normandie Commemorative Medal
- Sharpshooter Badge with Rifle Bar, Browning Automatic Rifle Bar and Pistol Bar
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Entered the service from Arkansas.
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