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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I .t ,, . .. K Amit ,gb .G 6, . mfg 2' ,, -fix, 1-13,34 -..L ,-,,.,1:J- ska-Uv., 3 , ,,A VY . by ,F V f .i ,df 11 s new . V ,K -Y, V-,gp ,-'1f.,.sVr-8: .. 'sv ' ' V 1 . 7' g,g.wf1-w .Q A - .s -.e': ' 1 .. , , i, A - ' ' 1 We-use fx wwf Q A - --2: 1- 'r 1 -- . W std-'wifi' If. 'gg' .tl Hu, gl h.,t.. ' .Q ' 1-1 it ref-f 1' . ' ' fi .-3?'Y?'t .'21 '- J. ' 'rn , 1 M- W -V - .'. ' -1 -,f ..:-I :kv 1 Q . is- RA fi' 'A .1-gain U' 1,1 A 3 it . fi?-,Q?h'WQ'Q A'ni1 W ,, .. , - '- wgd. ' aiu:- 1C1'19:g,,5?us-W-' fl, -- fr-rf N-.2 'JW-1 1 5 Q XJ w-I J USS CRA Y KDE-10542 USS CRA Y KDE-10541 is named in honor of Sergeant Ross Franlflin Cray, United States Marine Corps Reserve, who earned the Con- gressional .Uedal of Honor in action on 21 February 1945 during the invasion of lwo fima. CRAY is the eighth ship ofthe KNOX class of destroyer escorts to be commzLssion.ea', this series of shi s being specially desi ned to locate andp destroy submarines. The ship is also equipped to perform effectively in patrol, anti-air warfare, shore-bombardment, and command functions. CRAY is equipped with the newest long range underwater sound detection fSONARj installation in the fleet today, as well as highly sophisticated radar, communications, and other electronic units. The principal armament is the anti-submarine homing tor- pedo, which can be delivered to a water entry point miles distant by the Anti-Submarine Rocket KASROCJ or launched from conven- tional above-water torpedo tubes. Additionally her 5-inch 54 caliber gun is her main anti- aircraft weapon and can be used for shore bombardment in support of military operations several miles inland. ln the near future, a manned helicopter capability and a basic point defense missile system are scheduled to be added. CRAY 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 shi is actively stabilized by two gyro-controied fins pro- truding from the ship,s shin. CRA Y is manned 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, shipls store, barber shop, library, and pharmac . GRAE' wasebuilt by Todd Shi ards of Seattle, Washington, with her keel bging laid on November 19, 1966, and her launching taking place on November 3, 1967 under the s onsorshi of Urs. E. B. Armel of Pinson, Aplabama. li is a credit to the modern crafts- manship of Todd Shipyards that GRA Y is one of the finest ships afloat. USS CRAY is home-ported in San Diego, California, with Destroyer Squadron 21. This book covers CRAY,s first Westpac Deployment, from 2 .Uarch 1971 to 25 August 1911.