Jeffrey Wayne Bray

S/Sgt. Jeffrey Wayne Bray

S/Sgt. Jeffrey Wayne Bray, 49, of Whiteville died Monday, October 24, 2016 in Columbus Regional Healthcare System. He was born in Randolph County on December 9, 1966, the son of Martha Woodell Lindsey of Asheboro, NC and the late John Franklin Bray.  He was a decorated veteran of the US Air Force,  a Senior Airman having  served with a  Combat Control Team and was awarded  a Silver Star Medal. 

S/Sgt. Jeffrey Bray , US. Air Force Silver Star Presentation

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Jeffrey Bray, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Air Force, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force in Mogadishu, Somalia, from 3 October 1993 to 4 October 1993.  On these dates, Staff Sergeant Bray, a 24th Special Tactics Squadron Combat Controller, was attached to a joint service search and rescue security team tasked to respond to the crash of a United States UH-60 helicopter.  While serving with a U.S Army Ranger element trapped and surrounded inside a building in the city, Staff Sergeant Bray coordinated helicopter gunship fire on targets all around his position throughout the night.  He developed tactics and techniques on the spot that allowed him to mark friendly forces' locations so that helicopter gunships could destroy close enemy concentrations.  By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Staff Sergeant Bray has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force. 

He is survived by his wife, Sherry Blackman Bray; his mother, Martha Woodell Lindsay of Asheboro,  a brother, John Wayne Bray and wife, Nora of Raleigh; a sister, Stephanie Michelle Lindsay of Asheboro.  He was preceded in death by his father.  

His family will receive friends 6:00 8:00 pm Saturday, October 29, 2016 at Peacock Funeral Home.

Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery on December 30, 2016 at 2:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers  memorials may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675 or Combat Control Association, www.fcca.org/mdb/donations.

Online condolences may be made at peacockfuneralhome.net