Lawson P. Ramage

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Lawson P. Ramage : biography

19 January 1909 – 15 April 1990

 

CDR Ramage’s Ranking Compared with Other Top Skippers
Ranking Number of Patrols Ships/TonsCredited Ships/TonsJANAC
50 7 10/77,200Blair (1975) pp. 984-987 7.5/36,681

 

Medal of Honor action

On 31 July 1944, Ramage commanded the Parche in a dawn assault on a heavily-escorted Japanese convoy, during which the Parche sank two enemy ships and badly damaged three others. For this action, he received the Medal of Honor, which was formally presented to him by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 10 January 1945.

His Medal of Honor citation reads: 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.Medal of Honor recipients – World War II (M–S)

Following the presentation, Commander Ramage created a certificate for each sailor in his command. The certificate read: The Captain wishes to emphasize the fact that the Medal of Honor was accepted from the President of the United States as the Nation’s tribute to a fighting ship and her courageous crew. He feels that every officer and man whose loyal cooperation and able assistance contributed to the success of the "" has an equal share in this award which he holds in trust for you. With great pride and respect. Sincerely, L. P. RamageMoore (2011) p. 8The USS Parche was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation (9).

World War II

Ramage was highly decorated for heroism during World War II – the Medal of Honor, two Navy Crosses, and the Silver Star Medal. Ramage was stationed at Pearl Harbor on the staff of the Commander, Submarines, Pacific during the surprise Japanese attack on December 7, 1941.

In early 1942, he served on his first patrol of the war as the navigator of the . He was awarded the Silver Star Medal as a member of the Grenadier’s crew for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" while patrolling enemy waters.

In June 1942, Lieutenant Commander Ramage assumed his first command – the . Under his command, the Trout conducted four war patrols and sank three Japanese ships. He was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism while in command of the USS Trout at Midway, Truk, the Solomons, and the South China Sea. During his first patrol aboard, Trout’s fifth, on 28 August 1942 made the first attack that actually scored a hit on a Japanese aircraft carrier, this being Taiyo. Ramage found a virtue in his eye injury:I didn’t have to fool around with the focus knob on the periscope. Before I raised it, I turned the knob all the way to the stop [extreme focus]. When the scope came up, I put my bad eye to the periscope and could see perfectly.Moore (2011) p. 24