Kenneth G. Ryder - World War II

World War II

In 1944 Ryder went into active service as a communications officer on the LCI(L) 803, a landing craft bound for the Pacific theater which would participate in the landing at Okinawa. There were three officers and twenty-five enlisted men in the original crew of the LCI(L) 803. On August 20, 1944 Ryder and the rest of the ship’s crew completed its training and received orders to report to New York for the outfitting and commissioning of LCI (L) 803.

The following is and excerpt of the History of the LCI (L) 803 compiled by William F. Confalone: A full history of the LCI (L) 803's service in World War II can be found at: http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/15/150803h.htm

“On Saturday, September 2, 1944, after a thorough inspection of the ship by the prospective Commanding Officer, the crew was mustered on the gun deck. Lt. Comdr. J.A. Jordan read his orders from the Chief of Naval Operations to accept the USS LCI (L) 803 for the Navy and placed the ship in full commission. ...

On December 7 the LCI (L) 803 reported to San Pedro, California, where at the Craig Shipbuilding Corporation she was converted to an LCI (M). With conversion to a mortar ship, the 803’s complement was increased. Twenty-five new enlisted men were received aboard in the last two weeks of December. Final preparations for going to sea were completed in early January. On January 6, 1945 this ship departed from San Pedro, California for Pearl Harbor, T.H. in company with eleven other LCI’s. ...

The 803’s first action was in support of the landing operations at Purple Beach on Zamami Shima. The landing was successful and little enemy opposition was observed. On the 27th. this ship supported the attack on Takashiki Shima. The results were the same. On the second day considerably more accuracy was attained with the mortar fire. The assigned target area was blanketed with hits.

On the morning of April 7. the 803 was proceeding in Nago Wan to join the other ships of her division. Shortly after 0400 a Japanese aircraft dive-bombed the ship from directly ahead. The heavy bomb exploded less than 50 years off the port quarter of the ship. No casualties were suffered....

On April 28. the ship was again dive-bombed, again without suffering damage. The bombing occurred while the 803 was on patrol near Ie Shima. The bomb struck the water 75 to 100 yards astern. On the 29th. of April the 803 discontinued the active patrolling and took an anchored screening station in the anchorage south of Ie Shima. Throughout May and until June 14. she remained on this duty. Some of the bitterest air attacks occurred during the first weeks of May. The gun crews were often at their stations throughout most of the night. Numerous Kamikaze plane attacks were made in the vicinity of Ie Shima. Most LCI’s escaped such attacks however because of their small size and the presence in the area of more desirable targets....

The men aboard the 803 were awaiting orders to invade Japan when the City of Hiroshima was bombed on August 7, 1945. As a result, “The 803 was released from duty at Okinawa on August 13. and returned to Leyte for necessary repairs and equally necessary relaxation for the men. The stay at Leyte was cut short by the official end of the war. The 803 returned to Okinawa on September 6. to prepare for the coming occupation of China. The trip to Okinawa was difficult one as the ships sailed into the path of a typhoon. Considerable time was lost and several days of rough weather were experienced. A second typhoon was ridden out in Buckner Bay a week after arriving at the island. The ship survived the second typhoon with little damage except the loss of two anchors. ...

The 803 left Okinawa in convoy on September 25. en route to Taku Bay, China. The First Marines were landed in the Tientsin area on September 30. and the 803 participated in landing troops during the first week of October. ...At the end of the month of November the 803 discontinued her duty as a liberty ship and on order made ready for sea.” Ryder returned with the 803 to the United States, mustering out as a Lieutenant junior grade in 1946.

As stated by Antoinette Fredrick in her book on the history of Northeastern University, Coming of Age: The Ryder Years, “The war had brought the young lieutenant into firsthand contact with one of the momentous conflicts of western civilization, and this, along with American history, became the focus of his academic career. ‘It also made me realize I never wanted to fight with anyone," he was to say later. "I've seldom met anyone I didn't like and no one that I ever wanted to get mad at. The war confirmed that sense in me – that issues can be settled by discussion.’” This became the defining character trait that guided his life—placid, thoughtful and unflappable, Ryder seldom argued or raised his voice, but could stand his ground and calmly debate the issues that mattered to him.