World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Ralph John L. Zmotony
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
Maramec, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
SWORN INTO MILITARY SERVICE IN MARCH, 1944 AS A SEAMAN APPRENTICE, AT AGE 17. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT SAN DIEGO NAVAL TRAINING CENTER, CALIFORNIA. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE DESTROYER USS MAURY (DD-401) DURING THE WAR. HIS WARSHIP SUPPORTED OPERATIONS IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS, INCLUDING TAKING PART IN THE PRE-INVASION BOMBARDMENT OF SAIPAN IN JUNE, 1944; RAIDS AGAINST GUAM AND ROTA IN JUNE, 1944; AND LANDINGS ON GUAM AND TINIAN ON JULY 21 AND 24, 1944. THE DESTROYER SUPPORTED CARRIER STRIKES AT IWO JIMA AND CHICHI JIMA IN THE BONIN ISLANDS IN JUNE, 1944. THEN, SCREENED AIRCRAFT CARRIERS DURING THE BATTLE OF THE PHILIPPINE SEA WHICH BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 1944. HIS SHIP SUPPORTED STRIKES AT IWO JIMA; OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS AGAINST PELELIEU AND ANGAUR IN THE PALAU ISLANDS; AND YAP, AND ULITHI IN THE CAROLINE ISLANDS, BETWEEN JULY-OCTOBER, 1944. NEXT, COVERED STRIKE OPERATIONS AGAINST LUZON AND LEYTE IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS IN OCTOBER, 1944, AND PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OFF CAPE ENGANO BETWEEN OCTOBER 25-27, 1944. THEN SUPPORTED OPERATIONS ON LEYTE AND SAMAR IN NOVEMBER, 1944, AND AT LINGAYEN GULF DURING THE LUZON INVASION FROM DECEMBER, 1944 TO FEBRUARY, 1945. HIS VESSEL SAILED FROM HAWAII VIA SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA AND THE PANAMA CANAL, TO NEW YORK HARBOR, ARRIVING ON JUNE 14, 1945. HE WAS IN THE UNITED STATES WHEN THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TERMS AND THE FORMAL SURRENDER TOOK PLACE IN TOKYO BAY, JAPAN ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945, AND VICTORY OVER JAPAN DAY (V-J DAY) WAS PROCLAIMED. AWARDED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS UNIT IN COMBAT, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 SILVER AND 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (7 CAMPAIGNS), AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946 WITH THE RATING OF FIREMAN FIRST CLASS AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.