Scope and arrangement

Captain Ray, a native of New York, comments on his background in an Army family and his experiences before and during his U.S. Naval Academy days. He describes duty in the USS LEXINGTON during 1941, encounters with the Japanese at New Guinea and Solomon Islands early in 1942, and the battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. Included are details of the sinking of the LEXINGTON and the rescue of its crew. Other World War II topics discussed include service in the Solomon Islands campaign aboard the PRINGLE, involvement in the Saipan and Tinian invasions, service at Okinawa on the JOHN A. BOLE, and duty along the Korean coast after the Japanese surrender. Post World War II commentary concerns evacuation of American nationals from Shanghai (1949), involvement of the transport HORACE A. BASS in the Korean War Inchon invasion, and the demolition of railroads along the Korean coast.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift of Alan Ray

Processing information

Encoded by Apex Data Services

Copyright notice

Repository does not own copyright to the oral history collection. Permission to cite, reproduce, or broadcast must be obtained from both the repository and the participants in the oral history, or their heirs.

Metadata Rights Declaration

General note

1920s-1953

Key terms

Personal Names

Ray, Alan

Family Names

Ray family

Corporate Names

Lexington (Aircraft carrier : 1927-1942)
United States Naval Academy--History
United States. Navy--Officers--Interviews

Topical

Coral Sea, Battle of the, 1942
Inchon Landing, Inchʻŏn, Korea, 1950
Korean War, 1950-1953--Amphibious operations
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Pacific Ocean