World War II Honoree

James Donald Gray

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

El Dorado, Kansas

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps October 18, 1940 at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with recruit training assigned to the First Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base in San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California for combat training. After the completion of infantry training, he was selected to attend Sea School at San Diego. Following Sea School training, he was transferred to the USS Houston II Heavy Cruiser CA-30, assigned to a Marine detachment. The Cruiser and her shipmates participated in the Naval Battle of Sunda Strait, Dutch East Indies Campaign. On the night of February 28 and March 1, 1942 the Houston and an Australian Cruiser engaged a major Imperial Japanese Naval Force. After the fierce battle, both Allied ships were sunk by enemy cannon fire and torpedoes. Reported missing in action, lost at sea, when his warship went down. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery at Fort William-McKinley, Philippine Islands. Later his missing in action status was amended to read killed in action December 15, 1945. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.