Question: Who was the highest ranking medal recipient with initial R of World war II from the Navy ?

text: List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
R

This is a list of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II. The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy of the United States or an opposing foreign force. Due to the nature of this medal, it is commonly presented posthumously. World War II, or the Second World War, was a global military conflict, the joining of what had initially been two separate conflicts. The first began in Asia in 1937 as the Second Sino-Japanese War; the other began in Europe in 1939 with the German and Soviet invasion of Poland. This global conflict split the majority of the world's nations into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers. The United States was drawn into World War II on December 8, 1941, a day after the Axis-member Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Honolulu that killed almost 2,500 people in what was considered the biggest peacetime loss on American soil inflicted by foreign people at that time. For actions during World War II, 472 United States military personnel received the Medal of Honor. Seventeen of these were Japanese-Americans fighting in both Europe and the Pacific, many of which were upgraded from Distinguished Service Crosses during the Clinton administration. Additionally, Douglas Albert Munro was the only serviceman from the United States Coast Guard in United States military history to receive the Medal for his actions during the war. The earliest action for which a U.S. serviceman earned a World War II Medal of Honor was the attack on Pearl Harbor, for which 17 U.S. servicemen were awarded a Medal, although they did so while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force rather than enemy since the United States was neutral during the events of December 7, 1941.
Name Service Rank Place of action Date of action Notes
Lawson P. Ramage Navy Commander USS Parche , south of Taiwan July 31 , 1944 Sunk enemy ships in gallant action
Bernard J. Ray † Army First Lieutenant Hurtgen Forest near Schevenhütte , Germany November 17 , 1944
James W. Reese † Army Private Mt . Vassillio , Sicily August 5 , 1943 Sent mortars into enemy position in the line of fire so that his comrades can get across the hill . Shot down after the mortars were finally used up
John N. Reese , Jr. † Army Private First Class Paco Railroad Station , Manila , Philippines February 9 , 1945
Thomas J. Reeves † Navy Chief Radioman USS California , Pearl Harbor December 7 , 1941 After the mechanized ammunition hoists were put out of action in USS California , in a burning passageway , assisted in ammunition supply by hand to the antiaircraft guns until he was killed by smoke and fire
Milton E. Ricketts † Navy Lieutenant USS Yorktown , Battle of the Coral Sea May 8 , 1942
Paul F. Riordan † Army Second Lieutenant near Cassino , Italy February 3 , 1944 - February 8 , 1944
Ruben Rivers † Army Staff Sergeant toward Guebling , France November 15 , 1944 - November 19 , 1944 One of seven African American soldiers who received their medals belatedly , after a 1993 study revealed discrimination that caused them to be overlooked at the time . From his citation for extraordinary heroism in an assault on German positions near Guebling , France : Though severely wounded in the leg , Sergeant Rivers refused medical treatment and evacuation , took command of another tank , and advanced with his company in Guebling the next day . Repeatedly refusing evacuation , Sergeant Rivers continued to direct his tank 's fire at enemy positions through the morning of 19 November 1944 . At dawn , Company A 's tanks began to advance towards Bougaktroff , but were stopped by enemy fire . Sergeant Rivers , joined by another tank , opened fire on the enemy tanks , covering company A as they withdrew . While doing so , Sergeant Rivers ' tank was hit , killing him and wounding the crew
Charles H. Roan † Marine Corps Private First Class Peleliu , Palau Islands September 18 , 1944 Sacrificed his life by smothering a grenade with his body
James E. Robinson , Jr. † Army First Lieutenant near Untergriesheim , Germany April 6 , 1945
Cleto L. Rodriguez Army Private Paco Railroad Station , Manila , Philippines February 9 , 1945
Robert E. Roeder † Army Captain Mt . Battaglia , Italy September 27 , 1944 - September 28 , 1944
Albert H. Rooks † Navy Captain USS Houston February 4 , 1942 - February 27 , 1942 Commanded USS Houston during early days of war . Led during Battle of Java Sea . Killed in action while attempting to lead Houston and HMAS Perth to safety in Sunda Strait
Theodore Roosevelt , Jr. † Army Brigadier General Utah Beach , Normandy invasion June 6 , 1944 With his father , Theodore Roosevelt , became second father and son pair to both receive the Medal of Honor . Died of a heart attack before he could receive the award
Donald K. Ross Navy Machinist Pearl Harbor , Territory of Hawaii December 7 , 1941 Forced his men to leave the untenable forward dynamo room of USS Nevada and performed all the duties himself until unconscious , returned to dynamo room after being resuscitated , worked the after dynamo room until unconscious , recovered and returned to his station until directed to abandon it
Wilburn K. Ross Army Private near St. Jacques , France October 30 , 1944
Carlton R. Rouh Marine Corps First Lieutenant Peleliu Island , Palau group September 15 , 1944 For risking his life by smothering a grenade with his body
Donald E. Rudolph Army Technical Sergeant Munoz , Luzon , Philippines February 5 , 1945 For destroying 8 pillboxes , a trench and a tank while under fire
Donald J. Ruhl † Marine Corps Private First Class Iwo Jima , Volcano Islands February 19 , 1945 - February 21 , 1945 Saved several of his fellow Marines by sacrificing his life and diving on an enemy grenade
Alejandro R. Ruiz Army Private First Class Okinawa , Ryukyu Islands April 28 , 1945