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Contact Info
Home Town Carrolton, MS
Last Address Philadelphia, PA
Date of Passing Nov 22, 1985
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Navy Cross
Awarded for Actions During World War II
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. Chevalier (DD-451)
General Orders: Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 321 (December 1943)
Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Commander Ephraim Rankin McLean, Jr., United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the Destroyer U.S.S. CHEVALIER (DD-451), during operations in Kula Gulf, Solomon Islands, on 4 and 5 July 1943. Commander McLean placed his ship alongside a vessel which had been torpedoed, and directed hazardous rescue operations. Although his ship was subjected to intense fire from coastal batteries, he continued his rescue efforts until 75% of the personnel had been saved. Commander McLean's inspiring leadership and the valiant devotion to duty of his command contributed in large measure to the outstanding success of these vital missions and reflect great credit upon the United States Naval Service.
Guadalcanal Campaign (1942-43)/Battle of Rennel Island
From Month/Year
January / 1943
To Month/Year
January / 1943
Description The Battle of Rennell Island took place on 29-30 January 1943. It was the last major naval engagement between the United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Guadalcanal campaign of World War II. It occurred in the South Pacific between Rennell Island and Guadalcanal in the southern Solomon Islands.
In the battle, Japanese naval land-based torpedo bombers, seeking to provide protection for the impending evacuation of Japanese forces from Guadalcanal, made several attacks over two days on US warships operating as a task force south of this island. In addition to approaching Guadalcanal with the objective of engaging any Japanese ships that might come into range, the U.S. task force was protecting an Allied transport ship convoy carrying replacement troops there.
As a result of the Japanese air attacks on the task force, one U.S. heavy cruiser was sunk, a destroyer was heavily damaged, and the rest of the U.S. task force was forced to retreat from the southern Solomons area. Partly because they turned back the U.S. task force in this battle, the Japanese successfully evacuated their remaining troops from Guadalcanal by 7 February 1943, leaving it in the hands of the Allies and ending the battle for the island.
