World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
William Richard 'Dick' Grady
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
El Paso, Texas
Honored By
Patty Bates
Relationship
Niece
WHEN THE JAPANESE BOMBED PEARL HARBOR HE WAS ATTENDING TEXAS A&M COLLEGE AND CADET CORPS. LEFT COLLEGE FOR THE NAVAL RESERVE. ATTENDED NAVAL FLIGHT TRAINING AT PENSACOLA, FLORIDA. AS A NEWLY COMMISSIONED ENSIGN AND AVIATOR, ASSIGNED TO THE EAST COAST AND AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS RANGER. ORDERED TO SAN DIEGO AND BOARDED THE USS ENTERPRISE FOR THE PACIFIC. PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF THE EASTERN SOLOMON ISLANDS AUGUST 24-25, 1942 WITH TASK FORCE 61. WITH HIS NAVY GRUMMAN TBF AVENGER AND (COMPONENT OF BATTLE GROUP VB-3 FROM THE USS ENTERPRISE) AT APPROXIMATELY 1550 HOURS ATTACKED THE JAPANESE CARRIER RYUJO. MAKING A DIVERSION ATTACK PLAN, HIS VB-3 FLEW THEIR AVENGERS TORPEDO BOMBERS NEAR SEA SURFACE LEVEL CLOSING ONTO THE JAPANESE CARRIER WITHIN 200 FEET AND 220 KNOTS, DROPPED THEIR BOMBS ONTO THE RYUJO. CLAIMED 1 DEFINITE HIT TO THE CARRIER RYUJO AND HITS TO CARRIER’S STARBOARD BOW. THE STRIKE FORCES' ACTION SUNK THE RYUJO THAT NIGHT AT 2000 HOURS. LOCATION OF THIS STRIKE GROUP WAS 150 NAUTICAL MILES FROM SANTA ISABEL ISLAND NORTHEAST OF GUADALCANAL. HONOREE’S ACTION WAS CITED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, FRANK KNOX: 'PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TAKES PLEASURE IN PRESENTING THE NAVY CROSS FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM AS PILOT OF A TORPEDO PLANE DURING ACTION AGAINST JAPANESE FORCES IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS CAMPAIGN ON AUGUST 24, 1942. HIS SUPERB AIRMANSHIP AND UNYIELDING DEVOTION TO DUTY AIDED GREATLY IN THE DEFEAT OF THE TASK FORCE AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE U.S. NAVAL SERVICE.' WHILE BACK FROM OVERSEAS AND FERRYING ANOTHER OFFICER, HIS PLANE CRASHED INTO OAKLAND BAY AFTER LEAVING ALAMEDA NAVAL STATION CALIFORNIA FEBRUARY 19, 1943. FULL HONORS AND BURIAL AT THE FORT BLISS NATIONAL CEMETERY, EL PASO, TEXAS. AWARDS: THE NAVY CROSS, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN THEATER MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER MEDAL WITH BRONZE CAMPAIGN STAR, AND BATTLE 'E'.