Rayford Mcanulty

Rayford T. McAnulty, 89, of Midland, passed away Monday, April 27, 2020 at home.

Mr. McAnulty was born May 5, 1930 in North Carolina to the late Charles Burwell McAnulty and the late Elsie McAnulty.

There will be a private family graveside held at Bethel United Methodist Church located in Midland. The service will be officiated by Reverend Mark Clontz.

Rayford took  basic training at San Diego, California.  Upon completion of basic training he received orders to the auxiliary fleet tug USS Keosanqua (ATA-198), homeported at San Diego. Soon after reporting aboard he leaned from his shipmates that this tug was a Pearl Harbor survivor, having rendered aid to damaged ships and wounded sailors during the Japanese attack, December 7th, 1941.  The Keosanqua was tasked with towing target sleds for warships conducting gunnery qualification.  The duty was in rotation with another fleet tug, on a two-week basis. Rayford enjoyed his duty aboard and the food was outstanding.

Rayford’s next duty station was at Norfolk, Virginia, closer to home. His new assignment was with the fleet oiler USS Elokomin (AO-55).  Rayford saw little of Norfolk however, Elokomin was a ‘steamer’, furnishing both 2nd Fleet and 6th Fleet warships with fuel oil.  He did see a lot of countries in the Mediterranean region, with stops in Barcelona, Spain, Naples, Italy and Piraeus, Greece. In the early 1950’s, ELOKOMIN became one of the best-known oilers in the Navy, through the development of an improved rig for underway replenishment. The “ELOKOMIN method”, as it was called, was adopted by the Navy and became the standard method for refueling from an oiler, within the Atlantic Fleet, for a number of years. * Two tears after Rayford left the ship, probably the most unusual duty was the experimental fueling of Navy Blimps (one of which was ZC-4) while in flight, one of which took place in September of 1955. This was enlivened by having a coffee pot fall out of the blimp and land on the ship. The refueling of submarines was also undertaken.

In September 1952 Rayford rode his ship across the Arctic Circle with Operation Mainbrace.  In so doing he was awarded the Navy’s Royal Order of the Blue Nose service ribbon.  The NATO task force was comprised of 203 ships from, United Kingdom, France, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, The Netherlands, and Belgium. The ship sailed up the Firth of Clyde, calling at Greenock, Scotland and then went on to Bergen, Norway, and later at Kristiansand before making for the Arctic Circle.  It is interesting to note that during the 12-day exercises, on September 20th, personnel of the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42), an aircraft carrier participating in the Mainbrace maneuvers, observed a silvery, spherical object which was also photographed. (The pictures have never been made public). The UFO was seen moving across the sky behind the fleet. Reporter Wallace Litwin took a series of color photographs, which were examined by Navy Intelligence officers. Again, on September 27th and 28th, throughout Western Germany, Denmark, and southern Sweden, there were widespread UFO reports.

Rayford was discharged from the Navy in September 1953, returning home with his Honorable Discharge. Ever mindful of Navy life, friends made and memories both ashore and at sea, Rayford attended ship reunions annually.

He was a member of the American Legion Post 433 Member for 65 years of which 19 years were continuous.

Survivors include wife, Colleen McAnulty of Midland; nephew, Marshall Scott Thompson of Midland; niece, Kelly T Knight of Midland; nephew, Fred R Thompson Jr. of Greensboro; niece, Candee Wilhelm, of Waxhaw; and nephew, Jimmy Walker of Locust.

Hartsell Funeral Home of Midland is serving the McAnulty family.

Online condolences may be made at www.hartsellfh.com