One of Pensacola High School's students (Class of 1943) took part in the World War II landing at Hollandia in the New Guinea Campaign on March 30, 1944. Raymond Gilmore was born on October 29, 1924 to William and Annie Kilcrease Gilmore, but spent most of his high school years living with J. Gordon and Dorothy Baggett at 1600 North “Q” Street. Patriotically, he dropped out of high school on November 7, 1942 to serve his country in the US Navy.
For basic training, he was sent to San Diego, California and then on to the Navy’s signal school. Afterwards, he reported to the Treasure Island Naval Base to await transportation to the USS Matsonia, which was bound for Brisbane, Australia. Upon arrival, he boarded the LCI #26 where he spent the next three months before transferring to LCI #73 (below), which was sailing for the New Guinea invasion. He would spent a total of two years on this ship where he was wounded during the Hollandia landing in April 1, 1944.
ray The loss of Hollandia forced the Japanese to abandon their defensive line at Wakde, to the west, and all Japanese positions to the east became untenable. His wounds required a month of recuperation on a hospital ship anchored off the shore of New Guinea. Gilmore and his ship would later take part in the Leyte landings in the Philippines followed by his discharge after the war on January 6, 1946. He would eventually establish the Gilmore Electric Company with his wife Joyzelle A. before passing away on June 15, 2013. He was buried in the Bayview Cemetery, Pensacola, Florida.
Raymond Gilmore (Provided by Pensacola Heritage Volume II)
LCI #73, this ship could land 200 troops and provide
supporting firepower during beach landings
Landing craft heading for Hollandia beach 3-30-1944
Raymond Gilmore Buried in the Bayview Cemetery