Date of birth:

April 2nd, 1924 (Rochester/New York, United States)

Date of death:

April 18th, 1945 (Leipzig/Saxony, Germany)

Nationality:

American

Raymond J. Bowman was born on April 2nd, 1924. He was enlisted on June 21st, 1943 and entered service on July 5th with the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, with which unit he was sent to Europe in January 1944. Bowman reached the rank of Private 1st Class. He was killed in action on April 18th, 1945.

During the battle for Leipzig, Raymond Bowman and his unit were fighting in an appartment building to secure a bridge which was vital for the forces to cross. It was during this fighting that Raymond Bowman was killed. Together with this unit, photographer Robert Capa was there to take photos of the actions and he captured the killing of Bowman. This photo became famous with the caption "The picture of the last man to die". Only recently it became known that the killed private in the photo actually was Raymond J. Bowman.

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• Photo: Joan Faulknor Frost/Robert Capa
  
• - Newspaper article in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, July 4, 1947
  - Family Records