Raymond Casper Pfeifer

These awards are based on the information below and per applicable DoD Directives and Awards Manuals:
American Campaign Service Medal Awarded to Service members serving outside the Continental United States in the American Theater for at least 30 days between December 7, 1941 and March 2, 1946, or who served during that period for an aggregate period of 1 year in the Continental United States.
World War II Victory Medal Awarded for military service between December 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946, both dates inclusive.
 Note that this list may not include all awarded medals, devices, unit citations or qualification badges.

Documents, Forms and Resources Found or Not Found:
Yes Application For Headstone or Marker, OQMG Form 623
Yes Enlistment Records National Archives Database, on this page
No  Eyewitness Statement or Report
Yes Grave Marker Photo, Find A Grave
No Official Group or Squadron Accident Report
No  Photo of veteran
No  Washington Newspaper Obit, Notice, or Report
No  WWII Draft Card Data
No  WWII Hospital Admission Records

WWII Draft Card Data - None found -

WWII Hospital Admission Records - None found -

Note 1, Death Location: "In Kern County, California" is based on the best information available at this time. In the case of 2LT Pfeifer, this location was estimated on:

A. His OQMC Form 623, Application For Headstone or Marker, identifies his assigned unit as Squadron T, 421st Army Air Force Base Unit, Air Corps, Initial date of entry into military service as April 14, 1939, Serial Number as O-762053, and date of death as July 2, 1944.

B. At the time 2LT Pfeifer died the 421st Army Air Force Base Unit was a "Combat Crew Training Station, Heavy Bombardment," in Kern County, California.

C. On July 2, 1944, online sources report that a B-24J bomber from the 421st crashed while on a routine training flight near Boron, California. The Pilot of B-24J, aircraft serial number 42-50780, was 2LT Mitchell Robert Bogumirski from East Moline, Illinois, see Find A Grave memorial 113909457. While a complete list of the crew of this B-24 has not been found, it is likely, but not confirmed that 2LT Pfeifer died in this accident.

D. The California Death Index records that Raymond Casper Pfeifer, born Sept 18, 1919 in North Dakota, died July 2, 1944 in Kern County and his mother's maiden name was Denius.

E. Further information on the 421st Army Air Force Base Unit, then Muroc Army Airfield, now Edwards Air Force Base can be found at Wikipedia website Edwards Air Force Base.

Anyone with additional information or a more specific location is welcomed and encouraged to submit an email to: ww2updates@withmilitaryhonors.com.

The following information on this casualty is sourced from The National Archives Database:
 Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938 - 1946 (Enlistment Records)

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