Raymond E. Barry

Raymond Eugene Barry was born in Oklahoma to Raymond H. and L. Myrtle Mohon Barry, the eldest of three boys. Raymond was baptized into Christ at about the age of ten. While in junior high school, he moved with his family to Ponca City, Oklahoma, where he joined the Bois D’Arc Community Christian Church in 1944. After graduating from Ponca High School in 1949, Ray entered Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Religious and Biblical Theology in 1953, and, on May 30 of that year, was ordained into Christian ministry through the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at the Community Christian Church, Bois D’Arc. He continued his studies in Enid, completing a Bachelor of Divinity at Phillips Theological Seminary on February 1, 1957. That same day, he entered military service in the United States Army as a Chaplain with the rank of First Lieutenant.

Ray continued learning throughout his professional life. As an Army officer, he completed the U.S Army Basic and Advanced Chaplain Officer courses, and U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. His academic honors included a Certificate of Professional Studies from the Pacific School of Religion at Berkeley, California, and a Master of Divinity degree in Theology and Pastoral Care from New York Theological Seminary, New York, New York. He maintained a professional membership in the Military Chaplains Association throughout his career.

Upon entering military service, Ray was assigned to the 16th Artillery Group in Chicago, Illinois, serving as Battalion Chaplain for the 86th Antiaircraft Artillery Missile Battalion and for the 6th Missile Battalion, 3rd Artillery (1957-59). From there he was assigned to the 8th Logistical Command, Camp Darby, Pisa, Italy (1959-64), the first of many overseas assignments. His next assignment was at Fort Hood, Texas, where he served in a number of positions, notably as Brigade Chaplain, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Armored Division, and Division Chaplain, 2nd Armored Division (1964-67). Again moving overseas, Ray saw combat as Brigade Chaplain, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Republic of Vietnam (1967-68). He returned home to a new assignment as Assistant Post Chaplain, U.S. Army Garrison, Presidio of San Francisco, California (1968-71). Another tour in Asia soon followed, this time as Assistant Army Chaplain, 8th U.S. Army and U.S. Forces Korea, Seoul, Korea (1971-72), after which he served as a Staff Chaplain for the U.S. Army Personnel Center in Oakland, California (1972-73). Ray and his family moved to Fort Wadsworth, New York, in 1973, where he served at the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School, Fort Wadsworth, New York (1973-76). Upon completion of that assignment, he became Staff Chaplain, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX (1976-80). His last overseas assignment was in Frankfurt, Germany as Community Chaplain, Frankfurt Military Community (1980-84), followed by duty at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, as Command Chaplain, U.S. Army Information Systems Command. Ray retired from Active Duty on April 30, 1986, at the rank of Colonel. Following retirement, he served as Developer Pastor for the Protestant Church, Air Force Village II, San Antonio, Texas.