In Memory of
1st Lieutenant Marine Corps
Raymond B. Engebretson
Lily, South Dakota
Day County
March 29, 1918 -November 20, 1944
Died in Pacific near Pearl Harbor
Raymond Engebretson was born on March 29, 1918, in Highland Township in Day County. He was one of eight children born to Swen and Marie Engebretson. After he graduated from high school, Raymond attended college at Northern State Teachers College. After college, he taught and coached at Westport High School for two years.
Raymond entered the service at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, in May of 1942. He trained at Texas Air Base. Lt. Engebretson was married on May 11, 1943, to Ms. Severs in Brawley, CA. After his training, Raymond was sent to Pearl Harbor where he was stationed. While stationed there, he held rank of lit Lt. Marine Fighter Pilot.
On November 20, 1944, Lt. Engebretson and his navigator were searching for the remains of ships that were sunk during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. A rainstorm came up and forced the plane into the ocean. First Lieutenant Raymond Engebretson and his navigator were never found.
Due to his heroism, the Veterans building in Lily is named in Lt. Engebretson's honor. A marker was placed at the Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial in his memory. He is survived by two sisters, Marion Busch of Webster, SD, and Selma McCormick of Merced, CA.
This entry was respectfully submitted by Tyler Holm, Waubay Public High School, Waubay, South Dakota, and revised by Carla King, Stanley County High School, Fort Pierre, South Dakota. Information for this entry was provided by Marion Busch, sister of Lt. Raymond Engebretson.
