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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.
Description The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the Battles for Leyte Gulf, and formerly known as the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.
It was fought in waters near the Philippine islands of Leyte, Samar and Luzon from 23–26 October 1944, between combined US and Australian forces and the Imperial Japanese Navy. On 20 October, United States troops invaded the island of Leyte as part of a strategy aimed at isolating Japan from the countries it had occupied in Southeast Asia, and in particular depriving its forces and industry of vital oil supplies. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) mobilized nearly all of its remaining major naval vessels in an attempt to defeat the Allied invasion, but was repulsed by the US Navy's 3rd and 7th Fleets. The IJN failed to achieve its objective, suffered very heavy losses, and never afterwards sailed to battle in comparable force. The majority of its surviving heavy ships, deprived of fuel, remained in their bases for the rest of the Pacific War.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf consisted of four separate engagements between the opposing forces: the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Cape Engaño and the Battle off Samar, as well as other actions.
It was the first battle in which Japanese aircraft carried out organized kamikaze attacks. By the time of the battle, Japan had fewer aircraft than the Allied forces had sea vessels, demonstrating the difference in power of the two sides at this point of the war.