Wayne Pray was born in Junction City, KS. He attended Hope High School and participated in various school activities, band, glee club and High School plays. Pray graduated in 1936 and began working at Motors Car Transport Co until he entered the service. He enlisted in the Army at Jefferson Barracks, MO, November 12, 1941. After two weeks he was sent to Keesler Field in Mississippi to receive basic training. Pray remarked, basic training was rugged as the field was in rough shape. There was no heat in the barracks, and no hot water to shower or for shaving. After basic training he started at the A M School, which was the airplane Mechanics unit, graduating on May 31st, 1942. Pray was reassigned to Aircraft Engine Branch and sent to Chanute Field in IL for further training. He received his diploma in August. He moved up the ranks quickly to Sgt. by December 1, 1942. In January of 1943, Pray married Dorothy Hollenbeck and during the winter, he was granted an emergency furlough to return to his fathers farm at Wheaton to assist with the farm work for a period of a few weeks. Pray then return to the service residing in Biloxi, Mississippi. The Dickinson County Heritage Center had no further information about Wayne Pray's service. He had one brother, Glen who also served in the Army.