World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Thomas Bernard Murray
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
Lincolnton, Georgia
Honored By
Family
SERVED ABOARD THE HEAVY CRUISER USS VINCENNES CA-44. EARLY IN THE WAR, THE VINCENNES CARRIED THE FRENCH TREASURY GOLD FROM MOROCCO TO NEW YORK CITY FOR SAFE KEEPING FROM ADVANCING GERMAN FORCES. SEAMAN MURRAY AND THE SHIP'S EXECUTIVE OFFICER WERE THE ONLY CREW TO SET FOOT ON MOROCCAN SOIL TO SUPERVISE THE GOLD'S LOADING ONTO THE VINCENNES. AFTERWARDS THE USS VINCENNES WAS SAILED TO THE PACIFIC FRONT TO FACE THE JAPANESE. IMPACTS FROM THE SERVICE OF THE USS VINCENNES WERE FELT EARLY. IN APRIL 1942, THE VINCENNES ENJOYED THE PRIVILEGE OF ESCORTING THE CARRIER USS HORNET CV-8 , IN CARRYING LIEUTENANT COMMANDER JAMES H. DOOLITTLE AND HIS MEN OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN FOR THE SURPRISE BOMBING RAID ON TOKYO WHICH WAS TO AVENGE THE BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR. PROUDLY SERVED IN THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY ABOARD THE USS VINCENNES CA-44 IN JUNE 1942. THIS BATTLE TURNED THE TIDE OF WAR IN THE PACIFIC AND NOT ONLY SAVED MIDWAY ISLAND, BUT PROBABLY HAWAII AND THE U.S. WEST COAST FROM A JAPANESE ADVANCE. IN AUGUST 1942, ALSO WAS IN THE BATTLE OF GUADALCANAL IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. IN AUGUST 1942 THE USS VINCENNES ALONG WITH THE USS QUINCY CA-39, THE USS ASTORIA CA-34 AND THE AUSTRALIAN CRUISER HMS CANBERRA WERE SUNK IN A NIGHT ATTACK BY JAPANESE NAVAL FORCES OFF THE COAST OF SAVO ISLAND IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. SEAMAN MURRAY WAS INJURED IN THE LEGS AND BACK AND WAS PULLED OFF OF THE SINKING SHIP BY A SHIPMATE. HE SPENT APPROXMATELY 12 HOURS IN SHARK INFESTED WATERS BEFORE BEING RESCUED. SEAMAN MURRAY WAS SENT TO SAN DIEGO FOR SURGERY AND RECOVERY. AFTER RECOVERY, SEAMAN MURRAY WAS RETURNED TO THE PACIFIC FRONT TO SERVE AS A SUBMARINE TENDER AT PEARL HARBOR. THERE HE SERVED OUT HIS TIME IN WWII. RETURNING TO CIVILIAN LIFE, TOM MURRAY PURSUED AND RECEIVED A LAW DEGREE AND WORKED FOR THE STATE OF GEORGIA RETIRING AS A STATE SUPERVISOR OF THE PARDONS AND PAROLE BOARD. MR. THOMAS B. MURRAY PASSED AWAY ON 15 MAR 1997 LEAVING BEHIND HIS WIFE SARA, TWO CHILDREN, BEVERLY AND BRUCE, AND FOUR GRANDCHILDREN.