Lawson Paterson Ramage-Arlington, VA
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 38° 52.614 W 077° 04.266
18S E 320341 N 4305154
World War II Medal of Honor Recipient for action as Commander of the submarine USS Parche on a predawn attack on a Japanese convoy on July 31, 1944. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Section 7A, Site 184.
Waymark Code: WMX7AD
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 12/07/2017
Views: 1
He was born on January 18, 1909 in Monroe Bridge, MA and died on April 15, 1990 in Bethesda, MD. He attained the rank of Vice Admiral in the U.S. Navy. His Medal of Honor information and citation is: RAMAGE, LAWSON PATERSON
• Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Parche
• Place and date: Pacific, 31 July 1944
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Parche in a predawn attack on a Japanese convoy, 31 July 1944. Boldly penetrating the screen of a heavily escorted convoy, Comdr. Ramage launched a perilous surface attack by delivering a crippling stern shot into a freighter and quickly following up with a series of bow and stern torpedoes to sink the leading tanker and damage the second one. Exposed by the light of bursting flares and bravely defiant of terrific shellfire passing close overhead, he struck again, sinking a transport by two forward reloads. In the mounting fury of fire from the damaged and sinking tanker, he calmly ordered his men below, remaining on the bridge to fight it out with an enemy now disorganized and confused. Swift to act as a fast transport closed in to ram, Comdr. Ramage daringly swung the stern of the speeding Parche as she crossed the bow of the onrushing ship, clearing by less than 50 feet but placing his submarine in a deadly crossfire from escorts on all sides and with the transport dead ahead. Undaunted, he sent 3 smashing "down the throat" bow shots to stop the target, then scored a killing hit as a climax to 46 minutes of violent action with the Parche and her valiant fighting company retiring victorious and unscathed.
Armed Service: Navy
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