World War II Honoree

Raymond Allan Dwyer

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Santa Barbara, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Seaman First Class. Inducted into the United States Navy from California, with recruit training at the U.S. Naval Training Station San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from boot camp, he was transferred to the USS Franklin III Aircraft Carrier, CV-13 for duty as an on-the-job trainee, assigned to Bombing Squadron Five. 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) Code Name: Operation Detachment. The Seagoing Airbase on the 17th of March, at 07:00 hours came under attack by an Imperial Japanese Bomber. Despite the efforts of her gunner’s the Franklin was hit with two 500-pound, semi-armor piercing bombs. The attack inflicted a tremendous amount of damage, and the crew began the long battle to save their ship and shipmates. Reported missing in action, lost at sea on the day of the attack. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Honolulu Memorial Location: Honolulu, Hawaii. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Saint Cecelia Cemetery in Clare, Michigan. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.