Sponsored by:

Navy Federal Credit Union
James
Seton
Gray
Jr.
1914-02-01

–

1998-08-28

Born:

Milwaukee

, 

Wisconsin

Home:

Wauwatosa

, 

Wisconsin

Buried: 

Annapolis

, 

Maryland

Cemetery:

United States Naval Academy Cemetery

James Gray soloed at age 14 to become the youngest pilot in the United States in 1930. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Class of 1936. He became a World War II Navy ACE, credited with shooting down six enemy aircraft in aerial combat. He retired as a U.S. Navy Captain.

Awards Received

  • Distinguished Flying Cross

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Commander

    Batallion:

    Night Fighter Squadron

    Action Date:

    October 11, 1944
    Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 352 (July 1946)

    (Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Commander James S. Gray, Jr., United States Navy, was awarded a Third Gold Star in lieu of a Fourth Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a Night Fighter Pilot near Formosa on 11 October 1944.

  • Distinguished Flying Cross

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Commander

    Action Date:

    World War II
    Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 352 (July 1946)

    (Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Commander James S. Gray, Jr., United States Navy, was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight during World War II.

  • Distinguished Flying Cross

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Commander

    Batallion:

    Night Fighter Squadron

    Action Date:

    World War II

    (Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Commander James Seton Gray, Jr., United States Navy, was awarded a Fourth Gold Star in lieu of a Fifth Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a Night Fighter Pilot near Formosa on 11 October 1944.

  • Distinguished Flying Cross

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Commander

    Batallion:

    Night Fighter Squadron

    Action Date:

    October 25, 1944

    (Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Commander James S. Gray, Jr., United States Navy, was awarded a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving as a Night Fighter Pilot on 25 October 1944.

  • Distinguished Flying Cross

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Lieutenant

    Action Date:

    January 31 & February 1, 1942
    Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 304 (July 1942)

    (Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Lieutenant James S. Gray, Jr., United States Navy, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary heroism while participating in aerial flight, while serving as Pilot of an airplane during the attacks upon Japanese installations in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands on 31 January 1942 and 1 February 1942. Lieutenant Gray led his group in a bombing and strafing attack on an island in the face of fierce Japanese fighter and anti-aircraft opposition. During this action he shot down two enemy fighter planes.