James T. McRainey
October 2, 1922 – June 20, 2015
From the 95th BG Memorials Foundation Facebook page:
In deep sadness, the Memorials Foundation and the Heritage Association announce that James T. "Jim" McRainey of Gastonia, NC, left formation on 20 June 2015 at age 92. Jim was a 336th co-pilot. Folded wings.
The Robesonian (Lumberton, NC) reports that Mr. McRainey "was born Oct. 2, 1922, on the family farm in Northern Robeson County, N.C. He was the son of the late James T. McRainey Sr. and Nellie Driver McRainey. Mr. McRainey was a graduate of Lumberton High School, Western Carolina University and Columbia University.
"During World War II, he flew 36 missions as a co-pilot with the 8th Army's 95th Bomb Group stationed in England. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, and two major battle stars, one for the air offensive over Europe and one for the Normandy Invasion. On the 50th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War, as the Russians called World War II, the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., awarded him the Commemorative Medal on behalf of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin and the Russian Government. This medal was awarded to those who aided Russia in the war against Nazi Germany. After the war, the French government presented him and his crew certificates of thanks for parachuting supplies to the Maquis, the famous guerrilla underground fighters. His group, the 95th, was the only group in the 8th Air Force to be awarded three Presidential unit citations and the first Americans to bomb Berlin.
"Jim was Senior Vice President of A.M. Smyre Manufacturing. He served on the Board of Governors of the Southern Textile Association. He was a longstanding member of First Presbyterian Church in Gastonia, where he served as an elder and deacon and taught Sunday school for many years. Jim also served on the Mayor's Committee for the City of Gastonia in which, as a sidewalk advocate, he helped change a policy so sidewalks could be built near schools without the cost to property owners. An editorial in the Gaston Gazette, at the time, said…. 'little children of the future will have people like Jim McRainey to thank.' Along with his wife, Madrie, Jim served as PTA Co-Presidents of Victory School as well as serving on the Advisory Board of Ashley Junior High School.
"Mr. McRainey is survived by his wife, Madrie Janet Galloway McRainey; his sons, Charles Rodrick McRainey and wife Vickie, and Stephen Curtis McRainey and wife Sharon; his daughter, Karyl Scott McRainey Foster and husband Bill; his grandchildren, Donald Scott McRainey and wife Stephanie, Barbara Anne McRainey Odom and husband Travis, Elizabeth McRainey Reaves and husband Zack, Christina Haywood and husband Patrick, and Aaron Foster and wife Shauna; his great-granddaughters, Adele Odom, Harper McRainey and Lyla Grace Haywood; his great-grandsons, James Odom, Lucas Reaves, Liam McRainey and Levi Ryan Haywood; his stepgranddaughters, Cynthia Parker and husband Jeff, and Heather Goodman and husband Clay; stepgreat-grandchildren, Savannah Burnsed, Caitlyn Goodman, Houston Parker, Hunter Goodman and Austin Parker; AFS daughter, Chiraporn Ratiwilas and her daughter, Julia, and husband John Goding; a sister, Mary Lou Chambers; his nephew, Bill Chambers and wife Janet; a niece, Janet Chambers Gordon and husband Peter.