Lieutenant Edward Earl Gray USN

Bronze Star

Edward Earl Gray was born in La Mesa NM on Sept 16, 1915 to Mr. and Mrs. O Warren Gray. After graduating from Anthony HS in spring of 1934 he enrolled at NMAMC. Following his freshman year he secured a job with the Civil Service Commission and lived in Washington DC for several years. In 1937 he returned to NMAMC where he served as editor of the Round Up and Swastika. Graduating in May 1940 with an English degree, he returned to DC and was working for the Civil Service Commission when the war began in late 1941. Shortly after the outbreak of war he enlisted in the US Navy, was commissioned and began service aboard the destroyer USS Boggs operating in the Atlantic. In March 1943 he was assigned to the destroyer USS Longshaw and participated in its commissioning. Once launched the ship served continuously in the Pacific, earning nine battle stars over the next 18 months. On May 18, 1945, the Longshaw was moving in to participate in shore bombardment off of Okinawa when it ran aground on Ose Reef, just south of Naha Airfield. Unable to free herself, she called for assistance. Just as assistance arrived the Japanese shore batteries opened fire. Lt Gray rushed to his battle station in the Director, where he served as command of ships guns. Despite immediate return of fire, enemy shells struck the forward magazine, mortally wounding both the ship and Lt Gray in the resulting explosion. For his actions that morning Lt Edward Earl Gray was awarded the Bronze Star. After being buried in the US Military Cemetery on Okinawa, Lt Gray’s body was reinterred in the Las Cruces Masonic Cemetery in 1949. He was 29 years of age at the time of his death.