World War II Honoree

Mack Ray Harrison

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Pascagoula, Mississippi

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Aviation Machinist’s Mate Third Class. He was inducted into the United States Navy from Mississippi. Upon his graduation from boot camp, and aircraft mechanics training, he was transferred to the USS Bismarck Sea Escort Aircraft Carrier, CVE-95 for duty, assigned to Aircraft Composite Squadron 86. On February 16, 1945 the Carrier and her shipmates, along with an armada of U.S. Battleships, Destroyers, Cruisers and other Warships, arrived offshore of Iwo Jima in support of the impending invasion (Battle Dates: February 19-March 26, 1945) in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Reported missing in action, lost at sea Wednesday, February 21, 1945 when two Imperial Japanese Kamikaze Pilots flew into the carrier. The first aircraft flew into this seagoing airbase on the starboard side, crashing through the hangar deck, striking the ship’s ammunition storage area. The second plane struck the aft elevator shaft, destroying the fire fighting salt water distribution system. The ship’s Captain gave the order to abandon ship, after the second Kamikaze strike, with the loss of three hundred lives. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the Honolulu National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, ‘Punchbowl’ Hawaii. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Salem Cemetery in Waynesboro, Mississippi. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Air Medal with two Gold Stars and the Purple Heart. Air Medal awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. The Purple Heart was awarded for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.