He was born in 1914 in Malinovka village of the Novosibirsk region. Was drafted into the war in 1941-1942, had the rank of officer, company commander. Participated in the battles of the Poltava region, Zolotonosha city. Three brothers were called up for military service from the family: Dmitry Vasilyevich, Fedor Vasilyevich and Pavel Vasilyevich. Pavel was seriously injured - multiple, blind, penetrating shrapnel wounds to the left half of the chest and left shoulder. Pavel Raev was undergoing treatment in Zolotonosha, from which he left on 7 December 1943 for further treatment in the city of Rzhev (hospital). Then he was transferred to Krasnoyarsk in 1945. The disease progressed in the Krasnoyarsk hospital. He died.