She Called Him Raymond by Ray O'Conor

A letter penned in 1944 uncovers the powerful and heartfelt story of Helen Gregg, the daughter of Irish immigrant parents who grew up in the miseries of Hell’s Kitchen during the Great Depression, and Clarence Raymond Stephenson, a young aspiring B-17 pilot raised in the small, struggling city of Ironton, Ohio. Fate brings them together in New York’s Central Park in 1942. From the moment their eyes first met, they knew their lives would never be the same. This captivating and poignant story of their struggles and romance, his exploits as a highly decorated B-17 pilot during World War II, and the tragedy that tears them apart, will inspire you while tugging at your heart. With sensitivity and grace, Ray O’Conor reveals a secret about the dashing and brave young aviator who stole Helen’s heart, and he divulges a promise that Helen made to Raymond in the summer of 1942 that she had to keep, no matter how long or how hard it might be to fulfill. Theirs is a compelling story of two ordinary people who led extraordinary lives during the most tumultuous period in history.