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by James D. Ramage (As Told by), Robert L. Lawson (With), Barrett Tillman (With)
Known throughout the service by his nickname "Jig Dog," this officer takes great pride in his achievements in combat. He liked to go where the action was, and in this memoir he is frequently candid to the point of bluntness in expression his feelings. After graduation from the Naval Academy in 1939, he served in the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) and later returned to that ship after undergoing flight training brief duty in the heavy cruiser USS Salt Lake City (CA-25). He was in a number of combat actions during the war, notably the Battle of the Philippine Sea in 1944. He served as CO of Bombing Squadron 98, as a student at the Naval War College, as navigator of the escort carrier USS Bairoko (CVE-115), and on the staff of ComAirPac. In the 1950s he was with the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project, commanded Carrier Air Group 19 and Fleet Composite Squadron Three, served in the Pentagon in OP-05W, was a student at the National War College, and commanded Heavy Attack Wing One as the Navy built up its nuclear bombing capability. In the early 1960s Ramage commanded the seaplane tender USS Salisbury Sound (AV-13), served as head of Special Weapons Plans on the OpNav staff, commanded the attack aircraft carrier USS Independence (CVA-62), served on the staff of Joint Task Force Two, which tested low-altitude bombing alternatives, and was chief of staff to Commander Task Force 77 during the bombing of North Vietnam. As a flag officer he was Commander Fleet Air Whidbey, deputy chief of staff for plans and operations on the staff of CinCPacFlt, Commander Carrier Division Seven, Commander Naval Air Reserve, and Commander Tenth Naval District/Caribbean Sea Frontier. He retired from active duty in 1975.
