"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above
and beyond the call of duty as Acting Platoon Sergeant serving with
Company A, First Battalion, Twenty-Fifth Marines, Fourth Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano
Islands, February 21, 1945. Shrewdly gauging the tactical situation when
his platoon was held up by a sudden barrage of hostile grenades while
advancing toward the high ground northeast of Airfield Number One,
Sergeant Gray promptly organized the withdrawal of his men from enemy
grenade range, quickly moved forward alone to reconnoiter and discovered
a heavily mined area
extending along the front of a strong network of emplacements joined by
covered communication trenches. Although assailed by furious gunfire,
he cleared a path leading through the mine field to one of the
fortifications then returned to the platoon position and, informing his
leader of the serious situation, volunteered to initiate an attack while
being covered by three fellow Marines. Alone and unarmed but carrying a
twenty-four pound satchel charge, he crept up the Japanese emplacement,
boldly hurled the short-fused explosive and sealed the entrance.
Instantly taken under machine-gun
fire from a second entrance to the same position, he unhesitatingly
braved the increasingly vicious fusillades to crawl back for another
charge, returned to his objective and blasted the second opening,
thereby demolishing the position. Repeatedly covering the ground between
the savagely defended enemy fortifications and his platoon area, he
systematically approached, attacked and withdrew under blanketing fire
to destroy a total of six Japanese positions, more than twenty-five of
the enemy and a quantity of vital ordnance gear and ammunition.
Stouthearted and indomitable, Sergeant Gray had single-highhandedly
overcome a strong enemy garrison and had completely disarmed a large
mine field before finally rejoining his unit and, by his great personal
valor, daring tactics and tenacious perseverance in the face of extreme
peril, had contributed materially to the fulfillment of his company's
mission. His gallant conduct throughout enhanced and sustained the
highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."
Ross F. Gray Memorial Park in Centreville, AL
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