World War II Honoree

Raymond 'Ray' Chavez

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

San Diego, California

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1938, BEFORE THE WAR. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER, INCLUDING ABOARD THE COASTAL MINESWEEPER USS CONDOR (AMC-14), AND THE TRANSPORT SHIP USS LA SALLE (AP-102), BEFORE AND DURING THE WAR. HE WAS A PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR, WHO WAS PRESENT AT PEARL HARBOR, ON THE HAWAIIAN ISLAND OF OAHU, ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 7, 1941, WHEN THE JAPANESE CONDUCTED A SURPRISE AIR AND SUBMARINE ATTACK AGAINST AMERICAN NAVAL SHIPS AND FACILITIES AND AIRFIELDS. THE ATTACK KILLED SOME 2,403 PEOPLE, AND WOUNDED 1,104 OTHERS. IT CRIPPLED THE U.S. PACIFIC FLEET AND DESTROYED 75% OF THE AIRCRAFT ON AIRFIELDS ON OAHU. HE WAS ON DUTY ABOARD HIS MINESWEEPER IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BEFORE THE ATTACK, PATROLLING THE HARBOR’S EAST ENTRANCE. HE WAS AT THE HELM, STEERING THE SHIP, AS A STRIKER, BUT PART OF THE DECK FORCE, WHEN AN UNIDENTIFIED SUBMARINE PERISCOPE WAS SIGHTED BY A CREW MEMBER ABOUT 0345 HOURS. THEIR SIGHTING WAS REPORTED TO HEADQUARTERS AND THEY WERE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO PORT TO THEIR BERTH, AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE SIGHTING. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT NO FRIENDLY SUBMARINES WERE KNOWN TO BE OPERATING IN THE AREA, SO A DESTROYER WAS DIRECTED TO THE LOCATION TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE AND ENGAGE ANY HOSTILE TARGET. THE DESTROYER DROPPED DEPTH CHARGES WITHOUT ANY CONFIRMED EFFECTS. MANY YEARS AFTER THE WAR, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE DESTROYER HAD SUNK A JAPANESE MIDGET SUBMARINE THAT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PENETRATE THE HARBOR, JUST BEFORE THE AIR ATTACK BEGAN. THIS ENGAGEMENT WAS THE FIRST COMBAT EXCHANGE BETWEEN U.S. AND JAPANESE FORCES, AND A PREAMBLE TO WWII IN THE PACIFIC. MEANWHILE, HE HAD GONE OFF-DUTY AND RETURNED TO HIS APARTMENT TO GET SOME MUCH-NEEDED SLEEP. HIS WIFE WAKED HIM SOON THEREAFTER AND TOLD HIM THEY WERE UNDER ATTACK, AND HE WAS TO REPORT TO HIS SHIP. AS HE MADE HIS WAY BACK TO THE SHIP, HE SAW AND HEARD THE SOUNDS OF THE ATTACK AND THE DEVASTATION IN THE HARBOR AMID THE DENSE BLACK SMOKE, FLAMES AND EXPLOSIONS. HE WOULD SPEND THE NEXT 10 DAYS OR SO ABOARD SHIP IN THE HARBOR AREA, WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK. INITIALLY, HIS VESSEL BEGAN TO SWEEP FOR MINES, AND HE WITNESSED SAILORS JUMPING OFF BURNING SHIPS TO SAVE THEMSELVES, AND THE MANY BODIES FLOATING IN THE WATER. HIS SHIP THEN BEGAN TO HELP RESCUE AND RECOVER PEOPLE AND MATERIAL FROM THE WRECKAGE. AFTER A TIME, HIS MINESWEEPER RESUMED ITS NORMAL DUTIES, OPERATING IN OR NEAR HAWAII. HE WAS LATER ASSIGNED TO DUTY ABOARD THE TRANSPORT SHIP USS LA SALLE (AP-102), ENGAGED IN FERRYING TROOPS, TANKS AND OTHER MILITARY EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER CARGO TO ISLANDS ACROSS THE PACIFIC FROM GUADALCANAL IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS TO OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS. AWARDED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH ‘BASE’ CLASP, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. MEDICALLY DISCHARGED UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS IN 1945, DUE TO A POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, WITH THE RATE OF CHIEF PETTY OFFICER AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.