ANDREWS, TX, USA U.S. Army CPL, COMPANY C, 4TH BATTALION, 31ST INFANTRY, FORT DRUM, NY YUSAFIYAH, IRAQ 04/21/2007
U.S. Army Cpl. Ray Michael Bevel was born October 4, 1984, in Breckenridge, Texas. He lived in Hobbs from 1991 to 2000 and moved to Andrews as a sophomore in high school. He graduated from Andrews High School in 2003. His favorite class was metal shop and he competed numerous times at the state level.
Ray enjoyed building trailers and barbecue pits. He loved working with the youth group at First Baptist Church in Andrews, going on ski trips with the church, and playing golf. Ray married Brooke Hooper on December 10, 2005, in Odessa, Texas.
After joining the Army in 2005, he graduated Basic Training in Fort Benning, Georgia.
Ray served with the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. He died April 21, 2007, in Yusufiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat patrol operations.
His father, Jerry, had celebrated his birthday in November with a surprise visit from his son. “It was the best birthday present I ever had.” He said his son called April 19 and talked about being afraid.
Maj. Gen. John Defreitas said Ray always put the mission first, never accepted defeat, never quit and never left a fallen soldier behind. Friends recall Ray was always looking for purpose, fulfillment in his life and had found that purpose, that fulfillment in his life with the Army.
Ray Bevel was promoted to corporal posthumously.