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Citation
For great bravery in leading an attack to within fifty feet of a
Japanese destroyer in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire, thereby
sinking the destroyer although he was hit and his own aircraft on fire
and finally
himself killed. He was one of the gallant company of Naval Airmen who,
from December 1944, fought and beat the Japanese from Palembang to
Tokyo. The actual incident took place in the Onagawa Wan on the 9th
of August 1945. Gray was leader of the attack which he pressed home in
the face of fire from shore batteries and at least eight warships. With
his aircraft in flames he nevertheless obtained at least one direct hit
which sank its objective.
Lieut. R.H. Gray, D.S.C., R.C.N.V.R., of Nelson, B.C., flew off the
Aircraft Carrier, H.M.S. "Formidable" on August 9th
1945, to lead an attack on Japanese shipping in Onagawa Wan (Bay) in the
Island of Honshu, Mainland of Japan. At Onagawa Bay the fliers found
below a number of Japanese ships and dived in to attack. Furious fire
was opened on the aircraft from army batteries on the ground and from
warships in the Bay. Lieut. Gray selected for his target an enemy
destroyer. He swept in oblivious of the concentrated fire and made
straight for his target. His aircraft was hit and hit again, but he kept
on. As he came close to the destroyer his plane caught fire but he
pressed to within fifty feet of the Japanese ship and let go his bombs.
He scored at least one direct hit, possibly more. The destroyer sank
almost immediately. Lieutenant Gray did not return. He had given his
life at the very end of his fearless bombing run.
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