Raymond Milton Runnels was born on November 14, 1923. He was the son of William Gilbert "Bill or W.G." Runnels. He was married to Betty Jean Runnels. He served in the 32nd Bomber Squadron, 301st Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Radio Operator of B‑17G‑35‑BO #42‑32107 during World War II.

On July 26, 1944, the aircraft was shot down while carrying out a bombing mission over Austria. It went down near St. Jakob im Walde in the Styria region, one of multiple bombers lost by the group that day amid heavy enemy fighter resistance. The losses occurred during a larger Allied air campaign aimed at industrial targets across Austria, which encountered significant opposition.

SSgt Runnels was captured and held as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft IV in Gross-Tychow in Pomerania, Prussia until the war’s end. He died on July 21, 1989, and is now buried in the West Hill Cemetery, Sherman, Grayson County, Texas, USA.

Source of information: b17flyingfortress.de, www.32ndbombsquadron.org