Born: August 2, 1924
Died: January 27, 1998
Married: Irene Ladd
Children: Syriac Dupree, Marilee Jo Alba, Bonnie Lee Schwiesow
Raymond J. Dupree was a veteran of World War II. He was a son of Syriac and Mary (McGrain) Dupree.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, May 15, 2021, as reprinted in Howard Riley's column, slightly edited.
Dupree Hangs Over Cliff; [Enemy soldiers] Die in Caves
AT AN ADVANCED ARMY BASE IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC -- Movie stunt men have nothing on PFC Raymond J. Dupree, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Syriac Dupree, 4 Merrill St., Saranac Lake, N.Y.
He descended by rope suspended over a cliff to fire into a [enemy] occupied cave, covering his patrol leader's advance to the cave's mouth.
It happened on a combat patrol on the island outpost where the 147th Infantry is conducting mopping-up operations against the enemy.
Grenades had come from two caves dug into the side of a steep cliff, so the patrol knew enemy soldiers were in there. The caves were accessible only by a narrow ledge. When the patrol leader, Second Lt. Donald M. Badziong of Chicago, and his platoon sergeant moved up the ledge, they were driven back by enemy grenades.
Dupree and his buddy volunteered to cover a second attempt by Lt. Badziong to reach the caves.
From the top of the cliff a rope was dropped. Dupree descended to a point where he could fire into the first cave being approached by the patrol leader. Meanwhile Dupree's buddy covered him from above. Dupree fired 20 rounds into the cave.
When Dupree couldn't hang on and fire any longer, he descended to the base of the cliff and his buddy came down, repeating the operation. By this time the patrol leader had approached the cave and had neutralized it with grenades and bazooka shells. Four dead [enemies] were found inside.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, January 28, 1998
Raymond J. Dupree
SARANAC LAKE - Raymond J. Dupree, 73, of Fort Covington, died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 1998.
Born on Aug. 2, 1924 in Saranac Lake, he was the son of Syriac and Mary (McGrain) Dupree.
1n 1946, he married Irene Ladd in Saranac Lake.
Mr. Dupree graduated from Saranac Lake High School in 1942. He later attended and graduated from Colorado State University in 1950 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He received his Masters of Arts from New York University in 1952.
He was employed as the physical education director at Salmon River Central School in Fort Covington for many years until his retirement.
He was also a basketball referee, and a football, baseball, and hockey coach.
He was inducted into the New York State Coaches Hall of Fame in 1997, and was a veteran of the United States Army serving as a Staff Sergeant in Company "E" 147th Infantry Regiment from 1943 to 1946.
He was predeceased by two sisters, Eileen Wood and Leona Dupree; and four brothers, Donald, William, Bernard, and Paul.
Survivors include: one son, Syriac Dupree of Margaree Valley, Nova Scotia; two daughters, Marilee Jo Alba and Bonnie Lee Schwiesow, both of Homer, Alaska; three sisters, Marie Fogarty of Saranac Lake, Elizabeth Doyle of Saranac Lake, and Muriel "Babs" Anson of Marion, Ohio; one brother, Robert Dupree of Saranac Lake; four grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Calling hours will be held from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home. A veterans service will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home and a Bible vigil will follow. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:15 a.m. Friday at St. Bernard's Church.
Burial will be in the St. Bernard's Cemetery in May.
Donations may be made to the High Peaks Hospice in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home.
