World War II Honoree

Elmer E. Gray

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Salt Lake City, Utah

Honored By

Elinor S. Mackey

SERVED WITH 3RD ARMORED DIVISION, PERSHING TANKS. VOLUNTEERED FOR SERVICE IN 1942. STATIONED IN FLORIDA AND LATER IN ENGLAND FOR 5 MONTHS TRAINING RECRUITS. HIS JOB WAS TO TAKE UNTRIED WEAPONS (RECOILLESS RIFLES TO 45-TON TANKS) INTO COMBAT TO SEE HOW THEY PERFORMED. MAJOR GENERAL BARNES LED THE TECH ZEBRA MISSION TO EUROPE. IN THE GROUP WERE COLONEL COLBY AND CAPTAIN ELMER GRAY. 20 TO 40 NEW TANKS WERE SENT TO THE 3RD ARMORED DIVISION. CAPTAIN GRAY WAS SLATED TO DELIVER THEM TO ANTWERP, GERMANY. FRAUGHT WITH TRANSPORTATION DELAYS AND CHANGE OF ORDERS SINCE ANTWERP WAS UNDER HEAVY BOMBING. LATER, WHENEVER CAPTAIN GRAY WOULD COME AGAINST A CHALLENGE OF AUTHORITY, HE COINED A NEW APPROACH WHICH BECAME A FAVORITE PLOY: C-O-N-F-U-S-I-O-N.