Raymond F. Toliver passed away

[Horst Kube]

One real gentlemen of the skies and in writing, Raymond F. Toliver is no more with us. I had the luck to learn him and his lovely wife to know in May 2005 and feel very sorry to loose such a great man and friend. Here the last words from his family about him, which I will share with you:

Raymond F. Toliver of Ocean Hills, Oceanside, California passed away December 4, 2006. He was born in Fort Collins, Colorado on 16 November 1914; he was raised in Fort Collins and attended Colorado State University for three years. He married his childhood sweetheart Jennie Sue "Jen" Miller in 1935. Toliver joined the US ARMY AIR CORPS as a Flying Cadet in October 1937 and received his wings as a pilot in October 1938 (Class 38-C) graduating from Randolph and Kelly Fields at San Antonio, Texas. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on 6 October 1938. Though trained as a Pursuit (now Fighter) Pilot, his first station was at Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York in a bomber group flying B-10, B-18A and P-12 aircraft. In March 1940, since military pilots were now limited to 4 hours per month flying time, he resigned his active duty and joined TWA airline where he flew DC-2, DC-3 and Boeing 307-B "Stratoliners". In March 1941 he took a leave- of -absence from TWA and went to Montreal, P.Q, Canada and joined the Canadian Pacific Railroad Air Service as a contract pilot flying Lockheed HUDSONS and Consolidated B-24s from Montreal to Gander, New Foundland and on across the Atlantic Ocean to Prestwick and Ayr. Scotland. THE CPRRAS later became known as British Ministry of Aircraft Production, and later as Atlantic Ferry Command and finally was known as RAFFerry Command. In March 1942 he returned to the USAAF on active duty and was stationed at Patterson Field, Ohio as Chief Test Pilot at Fairfield Air Depot. Here he had the opportunity to fly nearly 200 different types of aircraft. In late 1944 he went overseas and was based in Guam flying to Tinian, Saipan and Iwo Jima. Returning to the USA after WWII he was stationed at San Bernardino, California, flying jet fighters and many other types including the so-called "Twin Mustang" the P-82. He graduated from the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Field, Alabama in 1948, spent two years in Japan and the Philippines and then graduated from the Air War College in 1951. Toliver was assigned to the Pentagon from 1951 to 1955, was Deputy C.O. of the 20th Fighter Wing in England from 1957 to 1959. He was then assigned to Air defense Command in Colorado Springs, and after another tour in the Pentagon, retired in 1965. In 1951 Toliver began writing about the American Fighter Aces and his first book was published in 1965(Macmillan Publishers). He had a co- author, Trevor J. Constable of San Pedro, California and their books in rapid succession were HORRIDO! (Macmillan 1969), The BLOND KNIGHT OF GERMANY (Doubleday 1970), FIGHTER ACES OF THE LUFTWAFFE (Aero 1978 and Schiffer Pub. 1996), FIGHTER ACES OF USA (Aero 1977 and Schiffer 1998) and FIGHTER GENERAL ADOLF GALLAND (AmPress 1990 and Schiffer 1999). These books have been published by 12 other publishers throughout the world in many different languages. One, HOLD HARTMANN VOM HIMMEL, is now the 61st printing in hardback in Germany. Toliver also wrote THE INTERROGATOR (Aero 1978 and Schiffer Pub. 1999). This is the story about Hanns-Joachim Scharff, the Luftwaffe Master Interrogator who interrogated the American fighter pilots captured by the Germans in WWII. Several of the above-mentioned books have won National Writing Awards. The Tolivers lived in England, Japan and the Philippines and several states in the USA during his military career. After he retired from the USAF they lived in Encino, California for 23 years and have lived in Ocean Hills, Oceanside, California since 1988. He is survived by his wife Jennie Sue "Jen" and three children: Suzanne T. Kemp of Florissant, Missouri; Nancy T. Belknap of Murrieta, California; Janet T. Moskal of Boulder, Colorado. His family includes 11 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren, two great great grandchildren, two brothers John M. Toliver, Thomas LeRoy Toliver of Ft. Collins, CO, and four sisters Mary L. Holder of Boise, ID, Elizabeth Jane Clayburn of Canon City, CO, Ruth J. Toliver of Arvada, CO, and Winifred Johnson of Ft. Collins. Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, December 12, 2006, 1:00pm, at El Camino Country Club, 3202 Vista Way, Oceanside.

[Sergio Luis dos Santos]

A great loss for aviation history.

[JG53_Volto]

Great loss...

[O.Menu]

S!

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo all,

I too mourn his passing. Though it is now common to find his work disparaged he - and Trevor Constable - are responsible for my interest (obsession) in military aviation and fighter pilots especially. During August 1983, with only a reasonable and superficial interest in matters aviation, I bought a copy of HORRIDO! while on holiday in America and read it on the flight back. It literally changed my interests, and indeed my life, forever overnight. It caused me to start collecting information and books. After some years I began to research a particular area of the air war. I continue at this with as much passion as ever. I believe Carlos Herrera had a very similar experience with HORRIDO!.

Thank you Ray Toliver. Rest in peace.

Martin Gleeson.

[drgondog]

Ray was a close friend of my father and very kind to me when I first started my research on Angels, Bulldogs and Dragons - and instrumental in obtaining the comments from Galland for my book.

A fine man and gentleman

Vaya con Dios

[VtwinVince]

Very sorry to hear this. I corresponded with Ray for over 25 years, and helped him out on the last printing of FALUFT. A real gentleman. RIP.

[Dan O'Connell]

RIP Ray

[shooshoobaby]

Ray Toliver loved to Fly and Write.
His Book " The Interrogator " is a WW II Classic. Should be Required reading for WW II Buffs.
Blue Skys Ray