The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor
to
RAMAGE, LAWSON PATERSON
Rank and Organization: Commander, U.S. Navy, U.S.S.
Parche. Place and Date Pacific, 31 July 1944. Entered Service at: Vermont. Born:
19 January 1920, Monroe Bridge, Mass.
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.
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