World War II Honoree

Ray Cannon Needham

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Salt Lake City, Utah

Honored By

Son and Family

AT THE WAR’S OUTSET HE WAS ASSIGNED AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE ADVANCED CARRIER TRAINING GROUP, PACIFIC IN WHICH CAPACITY HE SERVED DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF UNITED STATES' PARTICIPATION IN WORLD WAR II. IN DECEMBER 1942 HE WAS SENT TO THE COMMISSIONING OF THE NAVAL AIR STATION, DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA, FOR DUTY AS TRAINING OFFICER. DETACHED TWO MONTHS LATER, HE ASSISTED IN THE FITTING OUT OF THE USS BAFFINS (CVE-35), AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER ESCORT (LATER TRANSFERRED TO GREAT BRITAIN) AND SERVED BRIEFLY AS AIR OFFICER AFTER HER COMMISSIONING IN JUNE 1943. HE HAD SIMILAR DUTY FOR TWO MONTHS ABOARD THE USS MISSION BAY (CVE-59), ANOTHER ESCORT CARRIER, FROM HER COMMISSIONING IN SEPTEMBER 1943, AND IN NOVEMBER 1943 REPORTED TO THE USS SOLOMONS (CVE -67) FOR PRE-COMMISSIONING DUTY, AND SUBSEQUENTLY AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AND REMAINED ON BOARD FOR 15 MONTHS IN THE ANTI-SUBMARINE WAR IN THE ATLANTIC. DETACHED FROM THE USS SOLOMONS (CVE-67) IN JANUARY 1945, HE JOINED THE STAFF OF COMMANDER CARRIER DIVISION FOUR (A TASK FORCE OF FAST CARRIER TASK FORCES IN THE PACIFIC) AND SERVED AS OPERATIONS OFFICER UNTIL AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES. WHILE WITH THE STAFF WHICH WAS ABOARD THE USS FRANKLIN (CV-13), WHILE OPERATING VERY CLOSE TO JAPAN, IT RECEIVED TWO (2) DIRECT HITS FROM JAPANESE AIRCRAFT WHICH ALMOST SANK HER.