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Ross F. Gray’s story

 

Ross Franklin Gray was born in Talladega Springs, Alabama, on August 1, 1920. He enlisted in the US Marine Corps Reserve in Birmingham, Alabama on July 22, 1942. He departed for overseas operations in the Pacific January 13, 1944. In March of that year he was promoted to Engineering Corporal. In June and July 1944 he participated in landings on Siapan and Tinian Islands in the Marianas Islands. In August he was promoted to Sergeant.

On February 21, 1945, two days after the initial landing on Iwo Jima the platoon lead by Sergeant Gray was pinned down by a heavy barrage of Japanese hand grenades. Withdrawing his platoon, the twenty-four year old Sergeant moved forward alone until his advance was held up by a series of enemy emplacements fronted by a mine field. Sergeant Gray, capitalizing on his earlier training in disarming and removing mines, cleared a path through the mine field before returning to his platoon for twelve satchel charges and three volunteers to cover his movements.

Sergeant Gray, under the cover provided by the three members of his platoon, crossed the mine field six times, each time carrying a twenty-four pound charge through heavy fire and systematically destroyed the Japanese emplacements. Following his one man offensive, Sergeant Gray went back to the mine field and completely disarmed it before returning to his platoon. A later count showed that he accounted for a machine gun, a small field piece, an ammunition dump, and twenty-five of the enemy. Although he remained unscratched through his heroic action, Sergeant Gray was killed six days later on February 27 by fragmentation from an enemy projectile.
Sergeant Gray was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.

 

 

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Platoon Sergeant attached to Company A, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division, 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 while advancing toward the high ground northeast of Airfield No. 1, Sgt. Gray promptly organized the withdrawal of his men from enemy grenade range, quickly moved forward alone to reconnoiter and discovered 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 minefield to one of the fortifications, then returned to the platoon position and, informing his leader of the serious situation, volunteered to initiate an attack under cover of 3 fellow marines. Alone and unarmed but carrying a huge satchel charge, he crept up on the Japanese emplacement, boldly hurled the short-fused explosive and sealed the entrance. Instantly taken under machinegun fire from a second entrance to the same position, he unhesitatingly braved the increasingly vicious fusillades to crawl back for another charge, returned to his objective and blasted the second opening, thereby demolishing the position. Repeatedly covering the ground between the savagely defended enemy fortifications and his platoon area, he systematically approached, attacked and withdrew under blanketing fire to destroy a total of 6 Japanese positions, more than 25 troops and a quantity of vital ordnance gear and ammunition.

Stouthearted and indomitable, Sgt. Gray had single-handedly overcome a strong enemy garrison and had completely disarmed a large minefield before finally rejoining his unit. By his great personal valor, daring tactics and tenacious perseverance in the face of extreme peril, he had contributed materially to the fulfillment of his company mission. His gallant conduct throughout enhanced and sustained the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

 

The USS Gray  named after SGT Ross F. Gray, USMC

Congressional Medal of Honor winner.