Gray (DE 1054) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS GRAY (DE-1054) named after SERGEANT ROSS FRANKLIN GRA UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE Ross Franklin Gray was born in Talledega Springs, Alabama, on ugust 1, 1920. He enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve in Bir- lingham, Alabama on 22 July 1942. He departed for overseas operations i the Pacific on 13 January 1944. In March of that year he was promoted to ngineering Corporal. In June and July 1944 he participated in landings on aipan and Tinian Islands in the Marianas Islands. In August he was romoted to Sergeant. On February 21, 1945, two days after the initial landing on Iwo Jima le platoon lead by Sergeant Gray was pinned down by a heavy barrage of ipanese hand grenades. Withdrawing his platoon, the twenty -four year old rgeant moved forward alone until his advance was held up by a series of lemy emplacements fronted by a mine field. Sergeant Gray, capitalizing on is earlier training in disarming and removing mines, cleared a path through ie mine field before returning to his platoon for twelve satchel! charges and iree volunteers to cover his movements. Sergeant Gray, under the cover provided by three members of his pla- on, crossed the mine field six times, each time carrying a twenty-four ound charge through heavy fire and systematically destroyed the Japanese nplacements. Following his one-man offensive. Sergeant Gray went back ) the mine field and completly disarmed it before returning to his platoon, later count showed that he had accounted for a machine gun, a small field ece, an ammunition dump, and twenty-five of the enemy. Although he [mained unscratched through his heroic action, Sergeant Gray was killed x days later on the twenty-seventh of February by fragmentation from an lemy projectile. Sergeant Gray was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for )nspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and ;yond the call of duty. The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL Ol HONOR posthumously to SERGEANT ROSS FRANKLIN GRAY UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE for services as set forth in the following CITATION: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call ol duty as a Platoon Sergeant attached to Company A, First Battalion, Twenty-fifth Marine, FOURTH Marine Divi- sion, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands. 21 February 1945. Shrewdly gauging the tactical situation when his platoon was held up by a sudden barrage of hostile grenades whil advancing toward the high ground northeast of Airfield No. I, Sergeant Gray promptly organized the withdrawal of his men from enemy grenade range, quickly moved forward alone to reconnoiter and dis- covered a heavily mined area extending along the front of a strong network of emplacements joined by covered trenches. Although assailed by furious gunfire, he cleared a path leading through the mine held to one of the fortifications, then returned to the platoon position and. informing his leader ol the serious situation volunteered to initiate an attack under cover of three fellow Marines. Alone and unarm, carrying a huge satchel charge, he crept up on the Japanese emplacement, boldly hurled the short-fused ex- plos ' ive and sealed the entrance. Instantly taken under machine-gun fire from a second entrance to tr position, he unhesitatingly braved the increasingly vicious fusillades to crawl back tor another returned to his objective and blasted the second opening, therebv demolishing the position Repeatedly covering the ground between the savagely defended enemy fortifications and his platoon area, systematically approached, attacked and withdrew under blanketing lire to destroy a total ol six Japa positions, more than 25 troops and a quantity of vital ordnance gear and ammunition. Southearted i domitable Sergeant Gray had singlehandedly overcome a strong enemy garrison and had complete armed a large mine field before finally rejoining his unit. By his great personal valor, dann tenacious perseverance in the face o extreme peril, he had contributed materially to the lullillmen company mission. His gallant conduct throughout enhanced and sustained the highest traditions ol United States Naval Service- s Harry S. Truman — .-. I - ■ ■ ' ' ■ ■

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« mh DE-1054 USS (.RAY (DH-1054) is named in honor of Sergeant Ross Franklin United States Marine Corps Reserve, who earned the Congressional Medal of Honor in action on 21 lebruary 1945, during the inva- sion of Iwo Jima. Commissioned 4 April 1970, GRAY is the eighth ship of the KNOX class of destroyer escorts to be commissioned, this series of ships being specially designed to locate and destroy submarines. The ship is also equipped to perform effectively in patrol, anti-air warfare, shore bombardment, and command functions. GRAY is equipped with the newest long- range underwater sound detection (SON ARi installation in the fleet today, as well as highly sophisticated radar, communications, and other electronic units. The principal arma- ment is the anti-submarine homing torpedo, which can be delivered to a water entry point miles distant by the Anti-Submarine Rocket (ASROC) or launched from conventional above-water torpedo tubes. Additionally, her 5-inch 54-caliber gun is GRAY ' s main anti- aircraft weapon and can also be used for shore bombardment in support of military operations several miles inland. In the future, a manned helicopter capability and a basic point defense missile system are scheduled to be added. GRAY is powered by a single screw, driven by a single 35,000 shaft horsepower steam turbine, with steam provided by two 1200 pound boilers. The ship is actively stabilized by two gyro-controlled fins protruding from the ship ' s skin. GRAY is manned by 15 officers and 220 enlisted men and has accommodations available to include a unit commander and his staff. The ship also has modern living and messing compartments, recreation and lounge facilities, post office, ship ' s store, barber shop, library, and phar- macy. GRAY was built by Todd Shipyards of Seattle, Washington, with her keel being laid on 19 November 1966, and her launching tak- ing place on 3 November 1967 under the spon- sorship of Mrs. E. B. Armel of Pinson. Alabama. It is a credit to the modern craft- manship of Todd Shipyards that GRA ' t is one of the finest ships afloat. This book covers dR - second WestPac deployment, from 13 June 1972 to 13 January 1973. mmm J