At Home With Corporal Barker

From the Tanks on Tarawa site.  "Cpl. Raymond Arthur Barker  #480082  3rd Platoon, Company C, 1st Corps Medium Tank Battalion.

Reported as Missing In Action 11/20/43

Corporal Barker was about to turn 23 when he took part in the terrible Battle of Tarawa

Raymond Barker was born on December 20, 1920 in Walworth County, Wisconsin.  His father, Harley C. Barker was a farmer in those days and his mother, Hazel B. Barker, was a farmer's wife.  This according to Philip Wright, Raymond Barker's nephew.  "She always arose at 4:30 in the morning and began to cook."  That's what farmers' wives did  in the traditional US farm life for many generations.

Their living conditions were good, remembers Philip, who met Raymond  but was too young to remember him.  Philip lived with Raymond's parents during four years after the war and shared in their life."I can still remember awakening in the morning to the wonderful smells coming out of the kitchen."

--GreGen