Raymond Fred Schlaanstine was born in Kenvil, northern New Jersey on June 23, 1925 to Mr. and Mrs. Ray F. Schlaanstine.  He was one of two children, including his younger sister, Ruth.

 His family moved to Garfield Street, Kennett Square Pennsylvania in 1931, when the experimental station of the Hercules Powder Company moved to Wilmington.

 Raymond liked to be called by his middle name Fred.  He attended the Kennett Square High School, graduating in the Class of 1943.  Fred was an accomplished viola player, Boy Scout and a member of the New Garden Meeting of the Society of Friends (Quaker Church).

 Fred joined the Army in September 1943. After basic training he was deployed overseas to the European Theater in February 1944.

 In a letter home, Fred wrote “it’s not so bad, except combat”.  He also said that he had been lucky that “only his shovel” had been hit.

 Probably the best story of Fred, is one published in the “Rocket”, the newspaper of Hercules Powder Company, reprinted in the Kennett News & Advertiser, December 8, 1944.

 “Notification on Saturday, December 2, that Sgt. Raymond Frederick Schlaanstine, Jr., 19 year-old of Synthetics Director of Operations Ray Schlaanstine, was killed in action in France on October 25 has saddened the entire company. 

Fred had spent his last two civilian summers working at the Experiment Station where his forthright manner, winning personality and fine spirit of cooperation endeared him to all.

 Overseas since February, 1944, the tall athletic Fred participated in the fight for the Anzio Beachhead, April 28: the push to Rome, June 5, and was in the first wave to land on the beaches of Southern France on August 15.  During the Rome engagement, he distinguished himself for excellence in combat, wining the Infantry Badge, and becoming a private first class.

 After Fred’ division, the 3^rd, then part of the 6^th Army Corps, helped to establish the Southern France Beachhead, he was wounded on September 8 at Besancon, France as they pushed up the Rhone Valley.  For this he was later awarded the Purple Heart. 

After being hospitalized for two weeks he returned to active duty in the Vosges Mountains sector.  On October 15 he returned to a rest camp, where he was promoted to Sergeant.  His last letter home was written on October 24—the day he again returned to his outfit and active duty.

 Fred was the type of boy upon which the Army bases its faith for victory.  He had held the 100 and 200 yard dash records a Kennett Consolidated School.  He was an Eagle Scout, and had been Assistant Scoutmaster of his Scout troop at Kennett Square.  A viola player, he also had represented his school on the All Pennsylvania Orchestra, comprised of outstanding talent from schools throughout the state.

 Fred’s courage and unusual bravery in action gives us all a deep sense of pride…and of true gratitude.  At one time the teen-age lad and another boy came head-on to a German munitions tank---and managed, with typical American Know-how and determination, to blow it up.

Fred had collected and sent home a large number of German trophies: arm bands, watches and insignia.  He had hoped, on returning, to study medicine.  His basic training at Camp Wheeler in the fall of 1943 delayed his premedical studies.

 Home Office shares with the Schlaanstine’s their great loss, and their pride in the boy who, in such a brief period, contributed so much to his country’s future.    And we know that Fred would feel the same way about his father, who in the face of such heart break, was on the job as usual on Monday morning.  Many who carried on the business with Ray Schlaanstine were unaware of the tragedy.”

 Sergeant Raymond Fred Schlaanstine was Killed In Action on October 25, 1944 in France.

 He was buried in the Epinal American Cemetery in France.  He received the Purple Heart with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters (3 Purple Hearts).