John
Edwin Ray Jr.
John
Edwin Ray Jr., second son of John E. and Finie Carter Ray, was born at
Hendersonville, N.C., on November 29, 1888. His boyhood education was received
at the public schools of Raleigh and the Raleigh Male Academy. He graduated at
Wake Forest College with the degree of A.B. in 1908; and in September 1909,
entered the Medical Department of the University of North Carolina, took the
two years course there and then went to Cornell Medical School, from which he
was graduated with high honors in June, 1912.
In a
competitive examination of graduates of the leading medical schools of the
country, he won first honors and his choice of internship at Bellevue Hospital,
New York city. He spent two years in that institution, during the last six
months of which he was house surgeon—a most valuable experience and training
for his future career.
In
1914 he returned to Raleigh for the practice of his profession, specializing in
general surgery, and quickly won the confidence, respect, and esteem of his
professional brethren and the general public. He was a member of the Raleigh
Academy of Medicine, the Wake County Medical Society, and the State Medical
Society, and later was appointed as visiting surgeon on the staff of Rex
Hospital.
In
May, 1916, he received his commission as first lieutenant of the North Carolina
National Guard and six weeks later reported for active duty, going with his
organization to Camp Glenn, N.C. In the following September they were ordered
to the Mexican border, being quartered at Camp Stewart, Texas. While there he
acted as chief surgeon in the hospital established at Fort Bliss. He was
transferred to the Second North Carolina Regiment, which was not mustered out
of service but was stationed in eastern Carolina, with headquarters at New
Bern. In August, 1917, they were sent to Camp Sevier, Greenville, S.C., where
they became the 119th U.S. Infantry. In the following spring
(1918) he was made captain and was transferred to the 105th Field
Signal Battalion, with which organization he sailed for France last May. Later,
at his own request, he was transferred to his old unit, the 119th Infantry,
and it was while serving his men on the old Hindenburg line that he was
wounded, September 30th, by a fragment of high explosive shell which
struck him on the region of the upper thigh. He was carried to the 74th General
Hospital, A.E.F., at Trouville, France, and passed away five days later on
Saturday, October 5, 1918, at 4:20 a.m. He was buried at Trouville on Monday,
October 7th, with full military honors.
The
following citation for acts of meritorious conduct described was published to
the command:
John E. Ray, Medical Corps 119th Infantry
During
the attack on the Bellecourt area, 29th September, 1918,
Captain Ray administered first aid to many of our own and the enemy wounded,
helpless under heavy shell and machine gun fire. He established his aid post in
the front line trench and maintained it with the front line troops on their
advance. It was during this time that he was severely wounded and died a few hours
later. His exceptional bravery and devotion to duty are worthy of utmost
praise.
Captain
Ray was awarded, posthumously, the British military medal and the Distinguished
Service Cross. He was descended from a line of noble ancestors, who fought to
establish the freedom of our own country. Modest, manly, unswerving in devotion
to his high ideal of duty, he made the supreme sacrifice for his country and
laid down his life in the cause of humanity and righteousness. To his family
and friends and to this Society of his professional brethren he left the high
heritage of unselfish courage and untarnished name. He sleeps in France among
the heroic thousands of his countrymen who fell, as he fell, fighting for the
triumph of right against might.
Let
us not mourn for him but stand erect with uplifted head when we speak his name,
and a smile of pride for the manly part he bore.
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