On this day in Alabama history: Sgt. Ross F. ‘Deacon’ Gray was born in Bibb County
Portrait of Ross Gray from his profile in Who's Who in Marine Corps History. (Retouched for Bhamwiki by User Dystopos, http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/File:Ross_Gray.jpg)
August 1, 1920
Sgt. Ross F. “Deacon” Gray was born in Marvel Valley in Bibb County. Gray enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1942 and served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. On Feb. 21, 1945, he carried 12 satchel charges through an enemy minefield one at a time, alone and unarmed, and destroyed six Japanese emplacements, killing more than 25 of the enemy. He then single-handedly disarmed the entire minefield before returning to his platoon. Gray survived the encounter unscathed, but died six days later when an enemy shell inflicted fatal wounds. Gray was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman.
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