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Project 888

USS Indianapolis CA-35

Lost At Sea

Richard Raymond DAY Jr.
Name: Richard Raymond DAY Jr.
Project 888 Rank / Rating: S2-Seaman Second Class
Service #: 275 48 52
DOB: 1926
From: New Orleans, LA
Parents: Richard Day Sr. and Mary Ann Harrington Day
Went Aboard: Dec 01, 1944
Age When Ship Went Down: 19
Spouse:
Children:
Grandchildren:
Bio Submitted By: Admin

Richard Raymond DAY, S2-Seaman Second Class

DAY, Richard R Jr.
"Red" was from New Orleans, Louisiana and had a younger brother and sister whose lives were forever changed after the loss of their big brother, "RED". They didn't have many pictures of Red, nor a long story to tell because he was barely 18 years old and as many of these young men, his life had just begun.
Red was assigned to USS Indianapolis about 7 months before the sinking. He became good friends with survivor Harold Eck as they were both from New Orleans, and Seaman 2nd Class, (S2C). Richard Raymond "Red" Day, Jr was born in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana in 1926 to Mother Mary Ann (Harrington) Day and Richard Day, Sr. He was the middle child of five with 3 sisters and a younger brother. S2C Day joined the Navy in 1944, 18 years old. Red completed training at the US Navy Training Center in San Diego, California. Red boarded USS Indianapolis December 1, 1944. He perished when the Indianapolis sank July 30, 1945. His friend, Harold Eck, was one of the survivors and shared with the family that Red survived the sinking but later died in his arms. S2C Day's remains were not recovered. S2C Day is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing Memorial at the American Military Cemetery, Manila, Philippines, with a cenotaph marker at the Gardens of Memory Cemetery in Metairie, LA, and at the USS Indianapolis Memorial in the city of Indianapolis, IN. He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously. Harold would stop in to visit Red's mother for years after the sinking. Several years ago, Harold was able to meet with Red's sister for the first time, who was very young at the time of the sinking. Although he could barely speak due to a stroke, he and Red's sister sat and held hands, enjoying each other's company and their memories of Red. Cenotaph for S2c Richard Day Jr. at Gardens of Memories Metarie Jefferson Parish New Orleans, Louisiana Sources: IWM Facebook 2015 Fold-3 Ancesstry.com USS Indianapolis Commemorative Book, 3rd edition

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