Raymond Corbesia - Staff Sergeant

Biography

Staff Sergeant Raymond Joseph Corbesia was born in Faribault, Minnesota on March 17, 1919 to Emil and Grace Simon Corbesia. Robert had a brother, Sergeant First Class Floyd Corbesia, stationed on Tinian Island. He also had two sisters, Mrs. Rita Marvin and Mable Corbesia. His grandmother's name was Mrs. Anna Simon.

When he was seven, he and his family moved to New Haven, Iowa. He attended the Immaculate Conception School and graduated from Orchard High School in 1938.

Raymond attended Iowa State College while working on various farms in the area. He would have graduated in 1942, but instead left for the service. He enlisted at Fort Des Moines on June 20, 1941 and attended basic training at Camp Roberts, California. He was stationed a Camp Obispo, California and Camp Lewis, Washington before being sent to the Hawaiian Islands in 1942 and later New Britain.

He became a corporal on September 28, 1942 and made staff sergeant on September 28, 1944. He served under General Douglas MacArthur as a member of the 160th Infantry, 40th Division, Company G, during the early phases of the Battle of Luzon, Philippines.

Staff Sergeant Corbesia was killed in action January 29, 1945 near Bamban. He was buried in the United States Army Air Force Cemetery nearby, and posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.