Dean L. Ray

Dean L. (Lake) Ray was a pilot in the US Army Air Forces.^[1]

While performing at an airshow in Nicaragua, his airplane malfunctioned. Ray remained in his aircraft and directed it away from spectators, and died in the subsequent crash.^[2]

He was declared a national hero, and the then-president of Nicaragua attended his funeral. His photo is featured on a Nicaraguan Stamp.^[3]

^ Dean Ray, Capt. (1954), ...Winterset Madisonian-Winterset, Iowa, January 20, 1954, CAPT. RAY DIES IN PLANE CRASH, Army Flyer Was Son of Mrs. Arthur Campbell of Winterset, Capt. Dean Ray of the U. S. Air Force, son of Mrs. Arthur Campbell of Winterset, was killed Tuesday at Managua, Nicaragua, in Central America in the crash of the F-86 Sabrejet plane he was piloting. He was 34 years of age. Captain Ray was piloting one of a flight of American military planes making a good will tour of Latin America. His plane crashed shortly after take-off from the Managua air field. Captain Ray was a native of Greenfield and spent his life there until entering the Air Forces in World War II. Recently he had been stationed at George Air Force base in California, from where he took off on the Latin American tour. In addition to his mother in Winterset, he is survived by his wife, who lives in Victorville, Calif., their 7-year-old son; a brother, Dale Ray, and his grandmother, Mrs. L. E. Ray, both of Greenfield. Funeral services will be held at Greenfield. ...
^ Accident North American F-86 Sabre , 01 Jan 1953, North American F-86 Sabre, Owner/operator: United States Air Force (USAF), Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1, Location: Managua (MGA), Nicaragua, Phase: Approach, Nature: Demo/Airshow/Display, Narrative: Capt Dean Ray ran out of fuel half a mile on approach to land at Managua International Airport during the "Will Tour" of the Air Force Thunderbirds.
^ Nicaragua - Postage stamps (1862 - 2015)

[1] Dean Ray, Capt. (1954), ...Winterset Madisonian-Winterset, Iowa, January 20, 1954, CAPT. RAY DIES IN PLANE CRASH, Army Flyer Was Son of Mrs. Arthur Campbell of Winterset, Capt. Dean Ray of the U. S. Air Force, son of Mrs. Arthur Campbell of Winterset, was killed Tuesday at Managua, Nicaragua, in Central America in the crash of the F-86 Sabrejet plane he was piloting. He was 34 years of age. Captain Ray was piloting one of a flight of American military planes making a good will tour of Latin America. His plane crashed shortly after take-off from the Managua air field. Captain Ray was a native of Greenfield and spent his life there until entering the Air Forces in World War II. Recently he had been stationed at George Air Force base in California, from where he took off on the Latin American tour. In addition to his mother in Winterset, he is survived by his wife, who lives in Victorville, Calif., their 7-year-old son; a brother, Dale Ray, and his grandmother, Mrs. L. E. Ray, both of Greenfield. Funeral services will be held at Greenfield. ...

[2] Accident North American F-86 Sabre , 01 Jan 1953, North American F-86 Sabre, Owner/operator: United States Air Force (USAF), Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1, Location: Managua (MGA), Nicaragua, Phase: Approach, Nature: Demo/Airshow/Display, Narrative: Capt Dean Ray ran out of fuel half a mile on approach to land at Managua International Airport during the "Will Tour" of the Air Force Thunderbirds.

[3] Nicaragua - Postage stamps (1862 - 2015)

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