World War II Honoree

Raymond Oliver Barnes

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Los Angeles, California

Honored By

Amanda Dawn Barnes

Relationship

Granddaughter

WAS SERVING ON THE USS SOLACE AH-5 WHEN THEY REPORTED IN TO PEARL HARBOR ON OCTOBER 27, 1941. ASSIGNED TO THE EYE, EAR, NOSE AND THROAT SECTION. ON BOARD WHEN THE JAPANESE ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. WAS INVOLVED IN OPENING A SECONDARY SURGERY AREA. FOLLOWING THE ATTACK, HE HELPED TREAT MANY PATIENTS' EYES FOR SEVERE FLASH BURNS. HE MADE ROUNDS EVERY TWO HOURS FOR TEN DAYS STRAIGHT, CHECKING UP ON THE PATIENTS. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS EXHAUSTED, HE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE DOCTORS AND HIS SHIPMATES IN A DESPERATE TIME OF NEED. THE USS SOLACE WAS THE ONLY HOSPITAL SHIP IN THE PACIFIC. RAY WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE USS BOUNTIFUL AH-9 IN THE LATTER PART OF 1943. THEY LEFT SAN FRANCISCO FOR THE SOUTH PACIFIC, ALL THE WHILE TREATING AND TRANSPORTING PATIENTS. HE SERVED ON THE USS BOUNTIFUL UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR. THE USS SOLACE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 9 BATTLE STARS (3 WHILE HE WAS ON BOARD). THE USS BOUNTIFUL RECEIVED 9 BATTLE STARS (5 WHILE HE WAS ON BOARD).