Gray (DE 1054) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS CRA Y KDE- 10510 g named after SERGEANT ROSS FRANKLIN CRA Y lf'.fVII1EI1 S TA TES .1lARI.VE COR PS RESERVE Ross Franklin Cray was born in Tallede a S rfnv , 1920, Ile enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corpsixleszrhfej hfhchrlizcillzcliachhl ihffgzit I' on '22 july 1942, Ile departed for overseas operations in Racific ma 13 IHHUUW' 1944- In March OI- that yeaf Ile LUGS promoted to Engineeriihn Corporal. In fune and Iuly 1944 he participated in landings on Sai an ani Tinian Islands in the Marianas Islands. In August he was promozedltto Ser- geant. is On February 21, 1945, two days after the initial landing on Iwo lima 'G It the platoon lead by Sergeant Cray was pinned down by a hea barra e of japanese hand grenades. Withdrawing his platoon, the twenty-Zur ea? old Sergeant moved forward alone until his advance was held up by a syeries of V' enemy emplacements fronted by a mine field. Sergeant Cray capitalizing on ,,, 7 ,-,,,,,,,. his earlier training in disarming and removing mines, Cleared a path thmu h the mine field before returning to his platoon for twelve satchell char es aid three volunteers to cover his movements. g Sergeant Cray, under the cover provided by three members of his latoorr crossed the mine field six times, each time carrying a twenty-for?-pound charge through heavy fire and systematically destroyed the japanese em- placements. Following his one-man offensive, Sergeant Cray went back to the mine field and completely disarmed it before returning to his platoon A later count showed that he had accounted for a machine gun, a small field piece, UH ammunition dump, CNHI twenty-five of the enemy. Although he remained unscratched through his heroic action, Sergeant Cray was killed six days later on the twenty-seventh of February by fragmentation from an enemy projectile. Sergeant Cray was posthumously awarded the Medal of IIonor for con- spicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond t e call of duty. The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to SERCEANT ROSS FRANKLIN CRAY UNITED STA TES MARINE CORPS RESERVE for services as set forth in the following CITATION.- For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidit at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Elatoon, Sergeant attached to Company A, Ixrst Battalion, Twenty-fifth Marine, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy .Iapanese forces on Iwo fima, Volcano Islands, 21 February 1945. Shrewdly gauging the tactica situation when his platoon was held up b a sudden barrage of hostile grenades while advancing toward the high ground northeast of Airfield No. 1, Sergeant Cray promptly organized the withdrawal of his men from enemy grenade range, quickly moved forward alone to reconnoiter and discovered a heavtgliy mined area extending along the front of a strong network of emplacements joined by covered trenches.. lthough assailed furious un ire, he cleared a path leading through the mine field toione ofthe fortifications, then by e f returned to the platoon osition and, infonnin his leader of the serious situation, voluniefgredufo tnifiiate arf r e e cre attack under cover of three fellow Marines. Abalone and unarmed but carrying a huge satc e c g , it Up on the Japanese emplacement, boldly hurled the short-fused explosive and sealed the. entrance. Instant y taken under machine gun fire from a second entrance to the same position, he unhesitatingiybgraygg glee as increasingly vicious fusillades to crawl back for another charge, feiumed 50 his Oilectwe an second ' 1, ' ' ' ' , R t dl coverin the groun between the savagely Opening, t efqby fiemohshmg the posnwn epea e y t'c lt it roached, attacked and wtthdfew defended enem h t L 0 y fortifications and his platoon area, e SyS'9f7111 3' PP . under blankgring fire to destroy a Loral of Six fa anese positions, more than 25 troops and a quantity of vital OVJVWHCS gear and ammunition Stouthearted anaflindomitable, Sergeant Cray had singlelllfnfiffdly Qverwme a ll e ointn his unit. By Zfrong enemy garrison and had completely disarmed a large mine field becgnreffifld Qff I 5 ll he had is - - ' ce in t e ace o extreme pert, great dpersonal valor, darmg 'memes andfenaclous pefSe?em,II's allant conduct throughout enhanced contribute. materially to thgafulftllment of his company mission. .L 3 and Sustained the highest tr itions ofthe United States Naval SCFULC6- fgfllarry S. Truman

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1 Y QW FEB 3 1973 C I 7' LIBRARY,

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