World War II Honoree

George S. Ramirez

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

El Paso, Texas

Honored By

Catalina Cisneros, Rosemary, George Jr., Armando, Raul, Robert, Patricia, Ruben

Relationship

Wife & Family

JOINED NAVAL SERVICE MARCH 1943 AND AFTER COMPLETION OF NAVY BASIC BOARDED THE ESCORT CARRIER USS KASAAN BAY CVE-69 AS A FIREMAN. DEPARTED NEW YORK DELIVERING PLANES TO CASABLANCA RETURNING NEW YORK JUNE 17 WITH 342 SURVIVORS OF THE BLOCK ISLAND, TORPEDOED MAY 29, 1944. CARRIED NEEDED SUPPLIES FROM QUONSET POINT, RHODE ISLAND, JUNE 30 TO OPERATION AREAS IN ORAN, TRUBUCK, ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT, NAPLES AND CORSICA. AUGUST 15, 1944 PARTICIPATED IN THE LANDINGS OF U.S. TROOPS IN SOUTHERN FRANCE KNOWN AS 'OPERATION DRAGOON'. PLANES FROM HIS CARRIER BOMBED AND STRAFED GERMAN POSITIONS DOWNING TWO ENEMY AIRCRAFT OVER THE BEACHHEAD. DEPARTED ORAN SEPTEMBER 6 AND ARRIVED NORFOLK 12 DAYS LATER. FROM NORFOLK CARRIED PLANES TO CASABLANCA AND ENGAGED IN ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE PATROL AND FLIGHT OPERATIONS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN OCTOBER 1944. CROSSED THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL JANUARY 1945 AND ASSIGNED TO PACIFIC FLEET SAILING TO PEARL HARBOR, GUAM AND ULITHI WITH PLANES AND REPLACEMENTS FOR FAST CARRIER TASK FORCES. HIS CARRIER PROTECTED THE FLEET'S SUPPLY LINE FROM THE MARSHALL AND MARIANA ISLANDS DURING FINAL ASSAULT ON JAPAN'S DEFENSES. WHEN JAPANESE FORCES SURRENDERED, AUGUST 14, 1945 ASSIGNED 'MAGIC-CARPET' DUTIES BRINGING U.S. TROOPS BACK HOME. HONORABLY SEPARATED AT NORFOLK, VIRGINIA DECEMBER 9, 1945. RECEIVED THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE-EASTERN THEATER RIBBON WITH BRONZE CAMPAIGN STAR, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 CAMPAIGN STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL AND HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. U.S. NAVY RESERVE SERIAL NUMBER: 87 62 076.