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S1C Roy K. McCray
Monument

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S1C Roy K. McCray Veteran

Birth
Fayette County, Kentucky, USA
Death
5 Apr 1943 (aged 20)
At Sea
Monument
Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England Add to Map
Plot
Tablets of the Missing
Memorial ID
View Source
Parents: Mary Belle (CARTER) and Raymond William McCRAY
Siblings: Forrest, Thomas, and Raymond Jr.
- Although Mr. McCray died on Apr 5, 1943, he wasn't officially declared dead until Apr 6, 1944
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USNR
Service No:6349505
Award: Purple Heart
Entered the service from Kentucky

In March 1943, the American tanker MS Sunoil was equipped with one 4in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns, and a 26-man gun crew that included Seaman 1st Class ROY K. McCRAY. On the 27th, Seaman McCray was on board as the tanker sailed out of New York with a 62-ship convoy, HX-231. Her cargo of 102,000 barrels of fuel oil was bound for Halifax and Scotland.

By Apr 5th, after leaving Halifax, the tanker had developed engine problems and was forced to fall back (straggle) from the convoy. German submarine U-563 spotted the zigzagging Sunoil and fired three torpedoes, one of which hit. The Armed Guards on board forced the U-boat to submerge, and a distress signal was heard by British ship HMS Vidette which came forward and averted another attack. Later that day, another submarine, U-530, spied the tanker and fired a spread of three torpedoes; one hit and the ship stopped. After being hit by two more torpedoes, the MS Sunoil quickly sank. A destroyer in the vicinity searched for any sign of the ship without success before returning to the convoy.

There were 43 Merchant Mariners and 26 US Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.

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About the US NAVY ARMED GUARD
"The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships during World War II.
The men of the Armed Guard served as gunners, signal men and radio operators on cargo ships, tankers, troop ships and other merchant vessels..."
from:http://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html
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Parents: Mary Belle (CARTER) and Raymond William McCRAY
Siblings: Forrest, Thomas, and Raymond Jr.
- Although Mr. McCray died on Apr 5, 1943, he wasn't officially declared dead until Apr 6, 1944
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
USNR
Service No:6349505
Award: Purple Heart
Entered the service from Kentucky

In March 1943, the American tanker MS Sunoil was equipped with one 4in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns, and a 26-man gun crew that included Seaman 1st Class ROY K. McCRAY. On the 27th, Seaman McCray was on board as the tanker sailed out of New York with a 62-ship convoy, HX-231. Her cargo of 102,000 barrels of fuel oil was bound for Halifax and Scotland.

By Apr 5th, after leaving Halifax, the tanker had developed engine problems and was forced to fall back (straggle) from the convoy. German submarine U-563 spotted the zigzagging Sunoil and fired three torpedoes, one of which hit. The Armed Guards on board forced the U-boat to submerge, and a distress signal was heard by British ship HMS Vidette which came forward and averted another attack. Later that day, another submarine, U-530, spied the tanker and fired a spread of three torpedoes; one hit and the ship stopped. After being hit by two more torpedoes, the MS Sunoil quickly sank. A destroyer in the vicinity searched for any sign of the ship without success before returning to the convoy.

There were 43 Merchant Mariners and 26 US Navy Armed Guards on board; none survived.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
About the US NAVY ARMED GUARD
"The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines and surface ships during World War II.
The men of the Armed Guard served as gunners, signal men and radio operators on cargo ships, tankers, troop ships and other merchant vessels..."
from:http://www.armed-guard.com/about-ag.html
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Inscription

MCCRAY ROY K SEAMAN 1 C USNR KENTUCKY



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  • Maintained by: Patricia O'Neal
  • Originally Created by: War Graves
  • Added: Aug 6, 2010
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56292261/roy_k-mccray: accessed ), memorial page for S1C Roy K. McCray (25 Nov 1922–5 Apr 1943), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56292261, citing Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England; Maintained by Patricia O'Neal (contributor 47113049).