Ray Eugene "Ray" Zapalac was born on October 4, 1922 in Texas. He was the son of Victor J. Zapalac and Agnes Zurovetz Zapalac. Ray was a gunner on B-24J #42-73189, assigned to the 10th Air Force, 7th Bombardment Group, 492nd Bombardment Squadron. They were flying a cargo of gasoline from Kurmitola India to Kunming China when they had an engine failure and fuel leaking inside the airplane so the pilot ordered the crew to bail out. Three men made it to the ground safely, Zapalac and two others were killed. He is now buried in the Catholic Cemetery #3, Victoria, Victoria County, Texas, USA.

Ssgt Zapalac was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China but his surname is inscribed as Zapalc.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com