Raymond R. Schumacher
Encyclopedia
Raymond Richard Schumacher (15 Apr 1924 Chicago
- 04 Nov 1973 Oak Lawn,IL) served in the Army Air Force during World War II
, played as a fullback
for the Chicago Bears
after the war, and later worked as civil engineer
for the City of Chicago.
Born in Chicago, Raymond R. Schumacher attended Tilden
Technical High School, studying engineering, and was awarded the Purdue Club's 1942 Kizer MVP Award in football. He then attended Purdue University
.
World War II
He was first inducted February 17, 1943 into the US Army and went to basic training in North Carolina, where his bunkmate was Charles Clark. Others in his group included Wally Kokockis (Cicero Kid), Sgt. Nelphi, Sgt.(Porky) Thorton, Charles Clark, Jack Sather from Berkeley CA, Jimmie Spallus from Wisconsin, and Ray Shaw. All then went on to Janesville Wisconsin for flight training.
Ray Schumacher later was based at:
Early in his training he accepted an Argus camera as payment for a debt, and used it to take hundreds of photos of US Army training camps and around the Pacific theater, including the atomic bomb waiting on the runway on Tinian
.
Near the end of the war B-29 crews did not always have exclusive use of a plane but rotated with another crew; his plane assigned while stationed on Tinian
was known to have nose art
of a lady and a name, but the number is unknown.
He flew in the formation over the treaty signing on the Missouri, was finally stationed in Tokyo until January 1946, and officially released March 17, 1946.
Final rank: First Lieutenant
, Navigator, 20th AF, 313th Bomb Wing, 504th Bomb Group (Circle-E).
Service: 17 February 1943 - 17 March 1946, #02068876
Football
He was All-City in Chicago and won the Kizer award in 1942, then played one year at Purdue before enlisting in the Army Air Force and subsequently played for the Hondo Air Field team in Hondo, TX.
Upon returning home, Ray played for the Akron Bears before George Halas
signed both Raymond and his brother Harold to the Chicago Bears
at the same time. He played in the 2 Aug 1947 College Football All-America Team
vs Chicago Bears
which set the record attendance (105,840) for American football. He went on to play two seasons as fullback before retiring with knee and other injuries. There had been some friction between Halas and Ray as well; Ray owned a garage with his brothers, and Halas did not like his players to have "outside" jobs.
Professional Life
Ray spent most of the rest of his life as a civil engineer for the City of Chicago, responsible for planning on the Deep Tunnel Project and others in the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
. He also owned and operated Parkview Lanes Bowling Alley with two of his brothers and a small farm in Pepin County Wisconsin.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
- 04 Nov 1973 Oak Lawn,IL) served in the Army Air Force during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, played as a fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
for the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
after the war, and later worked as civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
for the City of Chicago.
History
Early LifeBorn in Chicago, Raymond R. Schumacher attended Tilden
Tilden High School (Chicago, Illinois)
Tilden Career Community Academy High School is a public 4-year high school in the Canaryville neighborhood of Chicago , Illinois. It is part of the Chicago Public Schools. The school's sports teams are nicknamed the Blue Devils.-History:...
Technical High School, studying engineering, and was awarded the Purdue Club's 1942 Kizer MVP Award in football. He then attended Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
.
World War II
He was first inducted February 17, 1943 into the US Army and went to basic training in North Carolina, where his bunkmate was Charles Clark. Others in his group included Wally Kokockis (Cicero Kid), Sgt. Nelphi, Sgt.(Porky) Thorton, Charles Clark, Jack Sather from Berkeley CA, Jimmie Spallus from Wisconsin, and Ray Shaw. All then went on to Janesville Wisconsin for flight training.
Ray Schumacher later was based at:
- Hondo Texas for navigator training, and served as an instructor afterwards
- Miami
- Macdill Air Force BaseMacDill Air Force BaseMacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
in Tampa about 7/43 - Lincoln, Nebraska where he trained navigators until mid-1945
- Victorville, Ca.
- TinianTinianTinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
Early in his training he accepted an Argus camera as payment for a debt, and used it to take hundreds of photos of US Army training camps and around the Pacific theater, including the atomic bomb waiting on the runway on Tinian
Tinian
Tinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
.
Near the end of the war B-29 crews did not always have exclusive use of a plane but rotated with another crew; his plane assigned while stationed on Tinian
Tinian
Tinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
was known to have nose art
Nose art
Nose art is a decorative painting or design on the fuselage of a military aircraft, usually located near the nose, and is a form of aircraft graffiti....
of a lady and a name, but the number is unknown.
He flew in the formation over the treaty signing on the Missouri, was finally stationed in Tokyo until January 1946, and officially released March 17, 1946.
Final rank: First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
, Navigator, 20th AF, 313th Bomb Wing, 504th Bomb Group (Circle-E).
Service: 17 February 1943 - 17 March 1946, #02068876
Football
He was All-City in Chicago and won the Kizer award in 1942, then played one year at Purdue before enlisting in the Army Air Force and subsequently played for the Hondo Air Field team in Hondo, TX.
Upon returning home, Ray played for the Akron Bears before George Halas
George Halas
George Stanley Halas, Sr. , nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional American football. He was the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears...
signed both Raymond and his brother Harold to the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
at the same time. He played in the 2 Aug 1947 College Football All-America Team
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
vs Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
which set the record attendance (105,840) for American football. He went on to play two seasons as fullback before retiring with knee and other injuries. There had been some friction between Halas and Ray as well; Ray owned a garage with his brothers, and Halas did not like his players to have "outside" jobs.
Professional Life
Ray spent most of the rest of his life as a civil engineer for the City of Chicago, responsible for planning on the Deep Tunnel Project and others in the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago , originally known as the Sanitary District of Chicago is a special-purpose district, chartered to operate in northern Illinois since 1889...
. He also owned and operated Parkview Lanes Bowling Alley with two of his brothers and a small farm in Pepin County Wisconsin.