Born in Forbes in 1931, Ray Seaver wanted to fly and saw the Korean War as his opportunity to become a fighter pilot. He achieved this ambition, joining No. 77 Squadron in January 1953 flying the twin-engine Meteor fighter jet.
Ray served with Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) for 226 days in Korea. By the time the armistice was signed on 23 July 1953, he had flown 101 combat operations.
One of the squadron's major roles during the final phase of the war was to destroy bridges, railways and roads, with the aim of inhibiting the movement of Chinese and North Korean troops. Ray recalled that he often came under anti-aircraft fire when attacking ground targets.
During his service in Korea, a few of Ray's friends were killed and another taken prisoner.
Living in camp at Kimpo, Ray had little chance to get to know the Korean people during the war, but he is proud of his contribution to South Korea becoming a prosperous nation.
Following his service in Korea, Ray participated in an Antarctic expedition and later became a flying instructor. Ray joined Qantas and became a senior B747 training and check captain, later working for the Department of Civil Aviation as an inspector.
