USS Ray (SS-271)

USS "Ray" (SS/SSR-271), a . The patrol terminated at Pearl Harbor 8 December 1944. From there the submarine headed east, arriving at Mare Island Naval Shipyard 16 December for a major overhaul. Departing San Francisco 26 March, she proceeded via Pearl Harbor to Guam, arriving at Apra Harbor on 29 April 1945.

Seventh war patrol, April – June 1945

"Ray" cleared Guam for her seventh war patrol 30 April to 16 June 1945. On 7 May while on lifeguard duty off Kyūshū she rescued 10 men from a downed B-29. On the night of 15 May – 16 May, she picked up the 10 crewmen of a PBM Mariner patrol bomber which was foundering in heavy seas. "Ray" transferred the rescued crews to USS|Lionfish|SS-298|6 and USS|Pompon|SS-267|6 and continued her patrol.

On 19 May, she intercepted three small freighters. Her torpedoes ran beneath the targets, and the "freighters", a disguised hunter-killer group, converged on the area where "Ray" had dived, laying a depth charge pattern. The submarine surfaced and fired her deck gun at her pursuers as she dashed away at flank speed. The remainder of the patrol was devoted to attacking patrol craft and coastal vessels with gunfire until it ended at Midway on 16 June.

Eighth war patrol, July – August 1945

Her eighth and final wartime patrol, 11 July to 13 August, took "Ray" to the Gulf of Siam. On the evening of 7 August, she sank 16 small craft by gunfire off Bang Saponnoi, Thailand. That night two boarding parties from the submarine burned seven Junks anchored north of Lem Chong Pra. The submarine arrived at Subic Bay for more ammunition on 13 August, where her patrol was terminated. Departing the next day, she proceeded via Saipan for home via Pearl Harbor and the Panama Canal, arriving at New London, Conn., on 5 October 1945.

Radar picket submarine (SSR-271), 1952–1958

She served in a training capacity at New London until 12 February 1947, when she was placed out of commission in reserve. In December 1950, she was towed to Philadelphia Navy Yard for conversion to a radar picket submarine. Redesignated SSR-271 on 3 January 1951, she was recommissioned 13 August 1952, Lt. Comdr. A. C. Burley in command.

"Ray" departed Philadelphia 27 March 1953. The remainder of the year was occupied in fleet training operations along the east coast and in the Caribbean.

From 1 March to 26 May 1954, she deployed to the 6th Fleet, serving as a picket ship. Returning to her homeport of Norfolk 26 May, she participated in joint United States-Canadian exercises off Nova Scotia in July and August. The remainder of 1954 and 1955 were spent in fleet exercises, type training, and an overhaul at Charleston Navy Yard from April to November 1955.

Deploying again to the Mediterranean as a radar picket submarine from 5 March to 4 June 1956, she operated with NATO and U.S. Navy units. The remaining months of "Ray"'s operating schedule in 1956 and 1957 were involved in type training and fleet exercises in the Atlantic and Caribbean, including representing Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, at the International Naval Review at Hampton Roads in June 1957 and participating in the NATO Exercise "Strikeback" held off Scotland, France, and Portugal in September and October 1957. The early part of 1958 was spent in fleet exercises off the east coast and the Caribbean.

She departed Norfolk 30 June 1958 and entered the Charleston Navy Yard for inactivation. She was placed out of commission in reserve on 30 September 1958, and was struck from the Navy List on 1 April 1960. Her hulk was sold for scrap to the Commercial Metals Co., 18 December 1960.

"Ray" was awarded seven battle stars and the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation for action in World War II.

References

External links

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* [http://www.rddesigns.com/ww2/listr.html Sinkings by boat: USS "Ray"]