This highest award possible from the United States Government was given to only seven American submariners. Three of them were posthumously.

The four surviving recipients are or were Members of SHARKHUNTERS.

The CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR was awarded to Commander Lawson “RED” P. Ramage.

The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to

COMMANDER LAWSON P. RAMAGE
UNITED STATES NAVY

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, as Commanding Officer, USS PARCHE in a pre-dawn attack on a Japanese convoy, 31 July 1944. Boldly penetrating the screen of a heavily escorted convoy, Commander Ramage launched a perilous surface attack by delivering a crippling stern shot into a Freighter and quickly following up with a series of bow and stern torpedoes to sink the leading Tanker and damage the second one. Exposed by the light of the bursting flares and bravely defiant of terrific shellfire passing close overhead, he struck again, sinking a transport by two forward reloads. In the mounting fury of fire from the damaged and sinking Tanker, he calmly ordered his men below, remaining on the bridge to fight it out with an enemy now disorganized and confused. Swift to act as a fast transport closed in to ram, Commander Ramage daringly swung the stern of the speeding PARCHE as she crossed the bow of the onrushing ship, clearing by less than 50 feet but placing his Submarine in a deadly crossfire from escorts on all sides and with the transport dead ahead. Undaunted, he sent three smashing “down the throat” bow shots to stop the target, then scored a killing hit as a climax to 46 minutes of violent action with the PARCHE and her valiant fighting company retiring victorious and unscathed.

‘RED’ RAMAGE was Member (948-+-1989).