Good morning Lizzie,

In Ancestry.com I found some information that may relate to the Raymond Richards that you are asking about.

per the 1940’s census there is an 18 year old who lived near Philadelphia.

Name: Raymond Richards
Age: 18
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1922
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Marital Status: Single
Relation to Head of House: Son
Home in 1940: Darby, Delaware, Pennsylvania
Map of Home in 1940: View Map
Street: Pine Street
Inferred Residence in 1935: Darby, Delaware, Pennsylvania
Residence in 1935: Same Place
Resident on farm in 1935: No
Sheet Number: 18A
Attended School or College: Yes
Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 8th grade

Then in the US Army enlistment records…

Name: Raymond C Richards
Birth Year: 1922
Race: White, citizen (White)
Nativity State or Country: Pennsylvania
State of Residence: Pennsylvania
County or City: Delaware

Enlistment Date: 3 Nov 1942
Enlistment State: Pennsylvania
Enlistment City: Philadelphia
Branch: Branch Immaterial – Warrant Officers, USA
Branch Code: Branch Immaterial – Warrant Officers, USA
Grade: Private
Grade Code: Private
Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Source: Civil Life

Education: Grammar school
Civil Occupation: Attendants, filling stations and parking lots
Marital Status: Single, without dependents
Height: 66
Weight: 124

But then I saw that the state of PA gave a bonus to a Raymond C Richards who appears to be the same person as the above but on the bonus application listed his dates of domestic service as 11/10/1942 through 5/04/1943. In the section where it asks about his period of overseas service it states ‘None’. So based on that I don’t think this is the correct person.

Do you have anything else that you could add? There is actually a surprising amount of Raymond Richards or Ray Richards…

God bless…

Ray Yarnell