Ray Avila was born in Wichita, KS the third of eleven children. He was employed at Gridley Motor Co. at the time he signed up for the draft. Avila was indicted into the Army on January 24, 1943 and was stationed in Europe. He was taken as a prisoner of war but escaped, walking until he found American Troops in Czechoslovakia. Courtesy of fold3.com and KSN news.