The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the November 2026 story of the month has been selected to honor Ship’s Cook 2c Norman Hartly Rayl. This year, the Story of the Month publication will honor and recognize the service memory of those lost by commemorating our Untold Stories of Service work with Richard Sherman, author of “Never Home: Remembering the Military Heroes Who Never Returned.” The following was researched, written, and presented to the Story of the Month publication by Richard Sherman.

Norman Hartly Rayl had already been promoted to Second Class Petty Officer at the age of 21. The Canton, Ohio native enlisted in the United States Navy on November 25, 1942 at the age of 19. Rayl attended McKinley High School where he played on the reserve basketball team during his sophomore year. Rayl was a lanky 6’2” with light brown hair and blue eyes. His coursework focused on Industrial Arts while in high school which involved working with hand, power, or machine tools to make wood or metal objects, that we now refer to as “Shop Class.”  After graduating in 1941, he worked at William Jones Berger's Manufacturing Company in Canton Ohio before joining the Navy.  

Rayl entered the Pacific War against the Empire of Japan after being assigned to Motor Torpedo Squadron 8 on January 3, 1944, with the rating Ship’s Cook. During 1944 Squadron 8, which was usually comprised of 12 “PT” boats, spent most of the year operating from various locations in New Guinea protecting amphibious ships in the theatre from the Imperial Japanese Navy. In December 1944, Squadron 8 was moved to the Philippines. Each boat carried a crew of 12 to 14 men which would conduct both daytime and nighttime patrols. 

Motor Torpedo Squadrons 8 and 24 were part of a large resupply convoy designated “Uncle 15” that left Leyte with 30 PT boats, and 50 other vessels, including the Motor Torpedo Tender “USS Orestes.” From December 27th, the convoy faced several airborne and Kamikaze attacks. According to the Report of Operations Action Report, dated 27 December to 31 December 1944, “The enemy mounted a total of 31 air attacks against the 89 ships and boats of the convoy between LEYTE and MINDORO, and 10 additional attacks during the first 40 hours after arrival of the Task Group at MINDORO; using suicide and dive bombers during daylight hours and dive bombers, torpedo bombers, and mine layers during darkness."

On December 30, cooks from Squadrons 8 and 24 were onboard the USS Orestes in Mangarin Bay. As they were picking up supplies, 3 kamikazes attacked. The USS Orestes was hit, setting off bombs and ammunitions onboard and resulting in deadly fires. 53 of the USS Orestes crew were killed. In addition, Ship’s Cook 2nd Class Rayl and other sailors that were not part of the crew were injured or killed.  Rayl suffered severe burns from the onboard fires, and succumbed to his injuries 2 days later.

He was initially buried at a temporary cemetery in the Philippines. His mother was informed of his death and she elected to leave Rayl with his shipmates. Rayl was buried at Manila American Cemetery in 1948 where he remains today. Norman Rayl left behind his divorced parents Wells and Lucille, and his younger sister, Arlene, and half-sister Shirley.

 The United States Navy Memorial honors Ship’s Cook 2c Norman Hartly Rayl, featured within this Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at https://www.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service

Richard Sherman is a award winning-author, photographer, Navy Gulf War Veteran, and contributor to the Untold Stories of Service Program. Richard also joined the ranks of the Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program and actively interviews Veterans which has enriched our program by conducting extraordinary interviews which are now part of the Navy Memorial Interview Archive. To further explore the work of Richard Sherman, visit:  www.NeverHomeHeroes.com