Ray was just a great guy. He attended a couple of aces meetings in the 80s and charmed all the wives, saying "I'm
Ray Brooks, or what's left of him."
Ken Porter and
Bob Todd were the only other GW pilots who were at all active by then. Bob was a sweet man; Ken was a crusty buzzard with a rugged exterior but he could get sentimental, too. I figgered he was the hands-down favorite to be our last GW ace but he checked out early.