Welcome to VFW Post 817 "Hero's Corner"
Navy Corpsman Ray Duffee written by his grandson Eric.

Ray was born in Sacramento, CA in October 1920.  His father served in the U.S. Navy in World War I as a Chief Machinist
Mate.  His father's ship was sunk in the Atlantic.  The crew of the sunken ship was rescued by a freighter that came into their
area two days later.  Ray learned a great deal from his father and would later follow in his footsteps and join the Navy.

Ray was a California resident attending Sacramento schools.  Upon graduation from high school, Ray attended Sacramento
College and the University of California at Davis.  While attending UC Davis, World War II began.  In March, 1942 he went to
San Francisco to make an inquiry about the U.S. Navy.  He entered the U.S. Navy Reserves on that trip and left for San
Diego that same night.  He had signed up as a Hospital Apprentice 2 class.  Most of his Boot Camp was spent working in the
Recruit Depot giving physicals, shots, and taking blood samples from the new recruits.  After getting out of Boot Camp, he
was on duty at Balboa Naval Hospital.  Following his hospital duty he was transferred to Camp Linda Vista, San Diego, Calif.  
He went into training for duty with Fleet Marine Force.  Following his Marine Training, he departed the United States for
Noumea, New Caledonia.  They zigzagged throughout the Pacific for 21 days.  When crossing the equator he was
indoctrinated into the Order of the Deep.  This indoctrination was having his head painted with purple dye.  The townspeople
of Noumea were told that anyone with a purple head had venereal disease.

When his unit was at Noumea they set up a camp for the rehabilitation of Marines who had been wounded and were on their
way back to duty.  After a time, his unit was transferred to New Zealand, where he became a member of D Company 1st. BN
2nd. Marine Regiment, 2nd. Marine Division.  Most of their unit was attacked by malaria on numerous occasions.  He was
among those who had several bouts with malaria.

Following a heavy training schedule, the 2nd. Marine Division boarded ship for the invasion of Tarawa.  On the way, a
practice landing was made at Effate, New Hebrades.  The Division convoy then proceeded on their way to Tarawa.  Upon
arrival off Betio (Tarawa) they were transferred to Higgins Boats and the warships proceeded with heavy shelling of the
island.  It would appear that nothing could live following the shelling but this was not the case as there were about 6000
Japanese left.  He was then transferred from the Higgins Boat to Buffalo Amphibious Tractor landing on the Red Beach 2 at
about 11 AM on the first day of the battle.  He spent the rest of the day treating the wounded and rescuing others from the
water.  The rest of the battle was spent taking care of the wounded.

On the 5th. day, his unit was transferred back aboard the ship and landed at Pearl Harbor where they removed the wounded
to the Naval Hospital Aliea Heights.  The Marines were then sent to rest camp at Kamuela on the Big Island, Hawaii.  They
planned to return to the mainland but were sent to a camp that had not been set up, and they were forced to build the camp
for themselves.

After getting the camp in shape a Division review was held.  At this Division review there was an Investiture Ceremony at
which he received his Navy Cross and a temporary Citation for the Navy Cross signed by Admiral Chester Nimitz.

"For extraordinary heroism as a hospital corpsman with a rifle company during action against  enemy
forces in Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, November 20-22, 1943.  When Marines attempted to reach the
beach over the coral reef  and were caught in intense enemy machine gun fire, Pharmacist Mate
Duffee, with courageous disregard for his own safety, waded into the fire-swept water to assist wounded
Comrades to the cover of the seawall.  Approximately fifteen times he exposed himself to bring to the beach
men who were incapable of helping themselves.  He twice ventured some seventy-five yards inland
to administer first aid and change the dressings of an officer who could not be moved from the cover
of a shell hole because of numerous snipers operating in that area.  Later, in the dark of the night,
he led stretcher bearers back to the wounded officer and evacuated him despite intense enemy
fire.  By his courage, determination, and untiring devotion to duty, he saved many lives.  His actions
throughout the operation were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

He also received the Division citation for the Presidential Unit Citation.

A short time later he returned to the mainland where he was tranferred to Balboa Naval Hospital, San Diego.  From there he
was transferred for temporary duty with the U.S. Treasury Department for a War Bond Drive.  The Bond Drive was in
southern California and Arizona and lasted for three months.  Following the Bond Drive he returned to Balboa Naval Hospital
as an Administrative Aide until discharged from the Navy.  He then returned to Sacramento.

He was later invited to Washington, D.C. for Presentation of the British Distinguished Service Medal.  As he was in school at
the time he was unable to go to Washington.  The British Consulate in San Francisco was the site of the alternative
presentation.  There were eight decorations given by the British for Tarawa, as they owned the island before it was captured
by the Japanese.  While he was getting his decoration, his tent mate Clarence Petrie was also being decorated by the British
at the same ceremony.  Pete, as everyone called him, was tragically killed a few months later in a logging accident.

Ray moved to Boone, Iowa after school and began working in the insurance business.  Ray continues to live there today with
his wife Helen.

Ray is a long time member of our Post and we are honored to have him.

Pete Jones, Post 817 Commander
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