Page 27 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2020- Online Magazine
P. 27

ARMY AIR CORPS
                                                                                                  WWII


                                                                                                      MT.  PLEASAN T


            presumed all had died from machine gun fire while in   Sergeant Ragain’s service and personal sacrifice were
            the aircraft or had been strafed in the water ahead of   commendable and typical of the members of the
            him. Ten minutes later, a                                                   “greatest generation.”  His
            Japanese boat recovered                                                     memory lives on in his
            Ragain who was severely                                                     children and grandchildren
            burned on his face, chest,                                                  and in those who learn of
            arm and leg. Sergeant                                                       his story.
            Roger Ragain was the
            lone survivor of the                                                        (Information for this story
            Kalamity Kat, the last                                                      was provided from research
            U.S. aircraft crew lost                                                     compiled by Lee D. Cary
            to hostile action during                                                    and interviews with Dr.
            World War II.                                                               Mike and Melanie Ragain.
                                                                                        Dr. Mike Ragain serves as
            Ragain spent the                                                            the Chief Medical Officer at
            night blindfolded and                                                       UMC Health Systems.)
            chained to a stake. He
            was interrogated and
            transported by train to a
            POW facility – Ofuna Interrogation Camp. At Ofuna,
            his wounds were bandaged, but he received no other
            medical treatment for his burns. Sergeant Ragain
            later reported that a Bristish medic POW provided
            treatment by capturing flies and applying them to
            his festering burns. The flies laid eggs which became
            maggots; the maggots ate his infected flesh. This was
            the survivor’s only medical treatment, saving his life
            until proper medical attention would be provided
            at the end of the war. While the war against Japan
            ended on August 15, 1945, it took over two weeks to
            repatriate many Allied POWs in Japan. On August
            30, Sergeant Ragain was evacuated aboard the U.S.S.
            Benevolence.  He returned to Mount Pleasant, Texas
            after being discharged on February 9, 1946.
            War-veteran Roger Ragain soon met and married Nell
            Weaver. They had two daughters and later, a son.
            Roger used the G.I. Bill to attend classes at Lee Junior
            College, earning a business degree at East Texas State
            University (now Texas A&M University – Commerce).
            He worked in various capacities at Lone Star Steel
            Company in east Texas. On February 23, 1967, Roger
            Ragain left work early to be fitted for a tuxedo for his
            oldest daughter’s wedding. Tragically, this war hero’s
            life ended that day as he was struck and killed by a
            drunk driver.






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