Background
John Porter Gray was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on 22 December 1914.
John Porter Gray was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on 22 December 1914.
He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 12 October 1939, was appointed Aviation Cadet in 1940, and underwent flight training, and was commissioned as an ensign. Gray then served at several naval air stations before reporting to Torpedo Squadron 2 in October 1940. He later transferred for temporary duty to Torpedo Squadron 8 aboard the aircraft carrier United States Ship Hornet (CV-8), and reached the rank of lieutenant, junior grade.
As a Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bomber pilot in Torpedo Squadron 8, Gray took part in the pivotal Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942.
Gray and the rest of the squadron gallantly attacked the Japanese aircraft carriers without fighter cover and in the face of withering antiaircraft fire and heavy Japanese fighter opposition. Though all of Torpedo Squadron 8"s aircraft were shot down, they succeeded in diverting Japanese fighter cover and preventing further launches of Japanese carrier aircraft, thus contributing mightily to the United States Navy"s victory in the battle.
Gray was killed during the attack. The United States. Navy destroyer escort United States Ship Gray (Delaware-673) was named for Gray.
She was converted during construction into the high-speed transport United States Ship Gray (APD-74) and was in commission as such from 1945 to 1946.