World War II Honoree

Loring Albert Gray

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Muskogee, Oklahoma

Honored By

William E. Shaklee

Relationship

Friend

SERVING ABOARD A CARGO SHIP IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC AT THE TIME THE WAR BEGAN. AFTER ATTENDING A U.S. NAVY SCHOOL IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, HE WAS SENT TO BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND, WHERE HERRESHOFF BOAT YARD WAS BUILDING AUXILIARY PATROL CRAFTS FOR THE U.S. NAVY. IN JANUARY 1943 HIS SHIP LEFT FOR THE SOUTH PACIFIC. FOR 18 MONTHS HIS GROUP OF BOATS WORKED BETWEEN THE SOUTH PACIFIC ISLANDS, MOSTLY THE NEW GUINEA AREA, AND WERE OFTEN UNDER FIRE OF JAPANESE PLANES. AT THAT TIME HE WAS PROMOTED TO WARRANT OFFICER AND CAME BACK TO THE STATES FOR DUTY WITH A LANDING CRAFT GROUP STATIONED IN OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA, AT CAMP PENDLETON, THEN THE WAR ENDED. HE WAS SENT TO JAPAN FOR NEARLY A YEAR BASED AT YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE.