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Royal Canadian Navy - Marine Royale
Canadienne - Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel AOPV 435 HMCS Robert Hampton Gray |
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| 08/24 | ||
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Type,
class: Harry DeWolf class Arctic and Offshore Patrol
Vessel / AOPV Builder: Irving Shipbuilding Inc., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada STATUS: Ordered: November 2, 2018 Laid down: August 21, 2023 Launched: ? Commissioned: ? building Homeport: ? Namesake: Lieutenant Robert Hampton Gray (1917-1945) Ship's Motto: - Technical Data: see INFO > Harry DeWolf class AOPV |
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     under construction at Irving Shipbuilding, Halifax, Nova Scotia - March 2024 |
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HMCS Robert Hampton Gray (AOPV 435): |
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Robert Hampton "Hammy" Gray
(November 2, 1917 - August 9, 1945) ... was a Canadian naval officer, pilot, and recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC) during World War II, one of only two members of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm to have been thus decorated in that war. (The other was Eugene Esmonde, a British pilot.) Gray is the second to last Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross. Early life: Gray was born in Trail, British Columbia, Canada, but resided from an early age in Nelson, where his father was a jeweller. In 1940, following education at the University of Alberta and University of British Columbia, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) at HMCS Tecumseh in Calgary, Alberta. Originally sent to England for training, Gray was sent back to Canada to train at RCAF Station Kingston. War service: Africa and Norway: Gray initially joined 757 Naval Air Squadron at Winchester, England. He was then assigned to the African theatre, flying Hawker Hurricanes for shore-based squadrons, nos. 795, 803, and 877, where he spent two years at Nairobi. He trained to fly the Vought F4U Corsair fighter and in 1944 he was assigned to 1841 NAS, based on HMS Formidable. From August 24-29, 1944, he took part in the unsuccessful Operation Goodwood raids against the German battleship Tirpitz, in Norway. On August 29, 1944, he was Mentioned in Dispatches for his participation in an attack on three German destroyers, during which his plane's rudder was shot off. On January 16, 1945, he received a further Mention, "For undaunted courage, skill and determination in carrying out daring attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz." Japan: In April 1945, HMS Formidable joined the British Pacific Fleet which was involved in the invasion of Okinawa. By July 1945, the carrier was involved in strikes on the Japanese mainland. On July 18, Gray led a strafing mission against airfields in the Tokyo area. On July 24, Gray led another flight to the inland sea which damaged one merchant ship, and damaged two seaplane bases and one airbase. Gray earned a Distinguished Service Cross for aiding in sinking a Japanese destroyer in the area of Tokyo on July 28. The award was not announced until August 21, 1945, when the notice appeared in the London Gazette with the citation, "For determination and address in air attacks on targets in Japan". VC action: On August 9, 1945, at Onagawa Bay, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, Lieutenant Gray (flying a Vought F4U Corsair) led an attack on a group of Japanese naval vessels, sinking the Etorofu-class escort ship Amakusa before his plane crashed into the bay. The citation for his VC, gazetted on November 13, 1945, described as being: for great valour in leading an attack on a Japanese destroyer in Onagawa Wan, on 9 August 1945. In the face of fire from shore batteries and a heavy concentration of fire from some five warships Lieutenant Gray pressed home his attack, flying very low in order to ensure success, and, although he was hit and his aircraft was in flames, he obtained at least one direct hit, sinking the destroyer. Lieutenant Gray has consistently shown a brilliant fighting spirit and most inspiring leadership. Gray was one of the last Canadians to die during World War II, and was the second to last Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross. The last being that of Pilot Officer Andrew Mynarski a year later. His Victoria Cross is owned by the Gray family. source: wikipedia
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