Marvin E. Wray
Biography: Marvin Eugene Wray “Gene” was born on September 11, 1919, in Glen Pool, Oklahoma. He was the son of William Johnston Wray and Lulu MClain and attended local schools in Glen Pool. On May 24, 1939, Gene married the former Nellie Ruth Bruner who was born in Texola, OK, and was the daughter of Joseph David Bruner and Cora E. Harris. The new couple would make their home in Borger, TX, and welcome a son Billy, born in 1941.
Service Time: Gene entered the service in August of 1944, and would have first been sent for his basic training. Due to his later entry into the war, he was sent overseas and assigned as a replacement for Company B of the 631st Tank Destroyer Battalion. The 631st had shipped out from the New York port on July 26, 1944, and arrived at Gourock, Scotland on August 5th. They were assigned to rear-area duties in France, Luxembourg and Germany for the rest of the war, as part of the Third Army.
The unit received credit for campaigns in Northern France, Rhineland, the Ardennes and Central Europe. Gene and the 631st would remain in Germany, continuing their security duties for the Third Army control areas. Even after the unit shipped home, he remained overseas and continued on occupational duties as needed. After returning to the U.S., Gene was discharged in July of 1946.
Gene returned home to Nellie and Billy and moved to Pampa, TX, in 1952. He found work with the Sidwell Oil & Gas Company in Pampa and ultimately held the position of Vice President of Operations. In his spare time, he was a member of the American Legion and First Baptist Church. Gene passed away on September 28, 1979, and was buried in the Memory Gardens of Pampa.
I want to thank Gene’s daughter-in-law, Alice, for providing the information and photos used in this tribute.