With heavy hearts, we say goodbye to Ray Stone, who passed away last week. Ray was a former crew member of Intrepid, a World War II veteran and a beloved pillar of our community here at the Museum. We will feel his absence and miss him very much.

Ray’s service to Intrepid began in 1943, when he was just 17 years old. He was a plankowner—one of Intrepid’s original crew members. He served as a radarman in the ship’s combat information center during World War II, and he was good at it. He kept a diary of his experiences, documenting life aboard the ship, the stories of his fellow crew members, and some of the most dramatic events in Intrepid's history. He and the ship survived a torpedo attack and five kamikaze attacks.

His service to Intrepid continued long after he was released from the Navy. His devotion to Intrepid, first as a naval ship and then as a cultural institution, made him a prominent figure at the Museum. He shared his knowledge of the ship with our staff and visitors, led the association of former crew members and contributed to the Museum's Oral History Project. He helped shape our understanding of the ship’s role in World War II and helped us honor the men who served. His stories infused meaning into the ship's spaces, bringing history to life and giving us insight into the humanity behind the hardware.

We take comfort in knowing that his stories have been recorded and preserved through the Oral History Project, and that future generations will be able to hear history firsthand from a man who lived it. Ray Stone will continue to honor, educate and inspire, and his contributions will forever be part of the very fabric of this institution.

In this video clip, one part of Ray’s Oral History interview, he talks about the first time he saw USS Intrepid.