Local WWII Hero
Hellertown's Ray "Scotty" Gozzard

This is how the high school students of the 60s
remember Ray Gozzard.

I doubt very many of us knew about the
trial and tribulations he went through.

During World War II, many young men and women from Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township answered their nation's call to service. Among them was Raymond "Scotty" Gozzard, a member of Hellertown High School's Class of 1942 whose courage, perseverance, and dedication exemplified the Greatest Generation's spirit.

Like many local servicemen, Ray stayed connected to his hometown through the efforts of the Saucon Valley Defenders Committee, which regularly sent Victory Mail (V-Mail) newsletters and greetings to local men and women serving around the world. Ray's responses, preserved in the committee's records, offer a glimpse into the life of a young sailor far from home.

In December 1943, Ray wrote that he hoped to see someone he knew while stationed in the Middle East. By June 1944, writing from "somewhere at sea," he reported that he was "striking for Quartermaster 3/c" and added simply, "I am fine and can't complain." Four months later, in October 1944, Quartermaster Third Class Gozzard acknowledged receipt of the committee's newsletter and birthday greeting, a welcome reminder that the people of Hellertown had not forgotten him.

Just weeks later, Ray would face one of the most harrowing episodes of his naval service.

Serving aboard the destroyer USS Cooper (DD-695), Ray was assigned to operations in the Pacific Theater during the campaign to liberate the Philippines. On the night of December 2–3, 1944, the Cooper joined two other destroyers for a mission against Japanese shipping in Ormoc Bay on the island of Leyte.

Shortly after midnight, the destroyer was struck by a Japanese torpedo. The explosion tore into the ship's starboard side, and the Cooper broke apart and sank within a minute. Rescue efforts were delayed by the continued presence of enemy forces, leaving survivors struggling in Ormoc Bay for many hours. Of the ship's crew, 191 men were lost.

Scotty was working on the top deck of the USS Cooper when the torpedo struck. He was wearing a communications helmet when he was blown off the deck. When he was picked up from a life raft filled with survivors being rescued, Scotty had a wire wrapped around his neck. Someone saved him. He helped pull men into the raft. According to his daughter, Denise Gozzard Goodrich, her dad told her, “the worst part of the rescue was having to push dead sailors/crew into the sea.”

Ray was among the fortunate survivors.

Ray’s daughter also mentioned that her father told her that the life raft he was on rescued another Hellertown Sailor, Sammy Schushaer. We have been unable to obtain any additional information about this rescue, so if anyone is aware of this, please contact the HHS, as we would be grateful for any additional details that can be provided.

According to a later article in The Hellertown Herald, he spent about seventeen hours in the sea off Leyte, enduring exposure and the threat of enemy aircraft before rescue finally arrived. Along with dozens of other survivors, he was picked up by a Navy patrol aircraft during what was reported to be a record-setting rescue operation.

According to Ray’s daughter, Denise, after Ray recovered from the sinking of the USS Cooper, his parents did not know whether he was alive for almost two weeks. Shortly after, they were surprised and shocked when Ray walked unannounced into the Town Tavern one afternoon. What a shock that must have been for his parents!

Despite the trauma of the sinking, Ray continued his naval service. He later served aboard the battleship USS Missouri, the most powerful battleship in the United States Navy at the time. During his wartime service, he earned numerous decorations, including the American Theater Ribbon, European Theater Ribbon, Pacific Theater Ribbon, Philippine Liberation Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Admiral's Commendation, and the World War II Victory Medal.

When peace returned, Ray brought the same commitment and leadership back to his hometown. He then attended and graduated from West Chester College, where he played soccer for the college team. Ray became a physical education teacher at Hellertown High School, where he helped sustain the growth of the school's soccer program. Generations of students came to know him as a dedicated teacher and coach. Many residents still remember his contributions to local athletics and his enthusiasm for sports. Long before his naval service, Ray had played on Hellertown High School's soccer team.

Ray Gozzard's story reminds us that the history of World War II is not only found in famous battles and distant places but also in the lives of local citizens whose courage carried them through extraordinary circumstances and who returned home to strengthen the communities they loved.

As we remember the sacrifices of Hellertown and Lower Saucon's wartime generation, Ray Gozzard remains an enduring example of service, resilience, and hometown pride.

Thank you for your service during World War II:

Raymond “Scotty” Gozzard – 7/17/1924 – 6/5/1980

You can learn more about Hellertown Teachers who returned from WWII and dedicated their careers to teaching students in the Hellertown Lower Saucon School District.

Visit the blog site: www.saucon-valley-vmails.blogspot.com. At this site, you will discover how the Saucon Valley Defenders Committee used V-Mail (short for Victory Mail) to send letters between active members of the armed forces and their families throughout WWII.

Our Hellertown Lower Saucon community is so grateful that the Saucon Defenders Committee stepped up with a V-Mail campaign to reach out to our local sons and daughters who are serving.