Ray Ben Pullen was born August 8, 1917 in Graves County, Kentucky. His parents were Benjamin Lester and Buelah Wyatt Pullen, both were born in Kentucky. Lester was a farmer and Buelah was a housekeeper. They had seven children Edgar, James, Ethel, Lester, Sallie, Rudy and Ray. Ray graduated from Farmington High School and was employed as a clerk in the AAA office in Mayfield before enlisting.

He had enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces and earned his commission and wings at Moore Field in Mission Texas in June 1943. He served during World War II. Pullen had the rank of First Lieutenant. Service number assignment was O-684552. Attached to 440th Troop Carrier Group, 50th Troop Carrier Wing, 9th Troop Carrier Command as a Pilot on C-47’s.

Pullen lost his life on D Day June 6, 1944. He was on the crew of C-47A Skytrain #42-100905 from the 9th Air Force. They were transporting paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division on the morning of June 6, 1944, in support of the D-Day landings. The transport was brought down by German anti-aircraft fire west of Magneville with the loss of 18 paratroopers and the transport's 4 crew members.

Ray Ben Pullen is buried at Farmington Cemetery, Farmington, Graves County, Kentucky.

COMMENDATIONS

★ Purple Heart

Crew of C-47A Skytrain #42-100905 from the 9th Air Force

Pilot: 1st Lt. Ray B Pullen, KY fold3 O-684552

Navigator: S/Sgt. Finney W Gordon, OK fold3 18162875

Co Pilot: 2nd Lt. John M Greeley, IN fold3 O-696567

Radio Operator: S/Sgt. Sidney H Saltzman, PA fold3 13154470

READ THE STORIES OF ALL 18 PARATROOPERS ON THIS FLIGHT

Click here- https://www.fold3.com/page/653614638/flight-c-47a-skytrain-42-100905-stories-of-the-crew-and-18-paratroopers-lost-on-d-day-june-6-1944

Thank you for your supreme sacrifice in service to your country.

_This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project _https://www.storiesbehindthestars.org/. This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smart phone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

Sources:

https://www.ancestry.com/ - 1920, 1930, 1940 census, draft card

https://www.findagrave.com/

https://www.honorstates.org/index.php