Raphael Raymond “Ray” Sprafka was born on October 11, 1913, in Minto, Walsh County, North Dakota. He was the son of John Joseph Sprafka and Caroline Frances Januszewski Sprafka. He served in the 30th Depot Repair Squadron, 30th Air Depot Group, as a Captain and Passenger in UC-78 Bobcat #42-58433 during World War II.
On December 4, 1944, the aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from airfield B-40 at Beauvais/Nivillers in France’s Oise department. It was conducting a passenger transport mission to A-81 near Creil. The plane departed at 14:56, but within minutes—around 15:00—a mechanical failure during the initial ascent caused one of the wings to break off in mid-air. The aircraft then went down and was destroyed in the crash. A later investigation indicated a structural failure: the glue used to secure the gussets and ribs had not properly bonded to the skin covering the leading edge and upper surface of the left wing.
Cpt Sprafka was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, Epinal, Departement des Vosges, Lorraine, France. He also has a cenotaph in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Minto, Walsh County, North Dakota, USA.
Source of information: http://francecrashes39-45.net/