Heart of Gray was written to honor the life of 1Lt. Raymond J. Enners who, after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point, served his country with the Americal Division in Vietnam, where he was killed in the line of duty at the age of twenty-two. A natural leader, Ray was a world class football and lacrosse player who won honors in high school and later won honors playing lacrosse at West Point. Today, the USILA annually presents the First LT. Raymond J. Enners Award for the best intercollegiate lacrosse player in the nation-some call it the Heisman Trophy of lacrosse.
Heart of Gray presents a gripping account of his distinguished life…from his formative high school years, through his cadet life at West Point where he honed his leadership skills, to the events leading to his death in the paddy fields of Vietnam where he earned the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation’s second highest award for valor. Heart of Gray embodies the ideals of Duty, Honor, Country learned by every member of the Long Gray Line—a code that Ray Enners embraced and is still being taught to future leaders of America’s military.
Richard Enners grew up in Farmingdale, Long Island, NY, served five years in the Army with the 9th Division in Fort Lewis, Washington and the United States Military Academy Preparatory School in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He later pursued a career in business, initially sales and marketing, and eventually led companies with revenues of $60M-$120M in Japan, British Columbia, and the USA. Enners wrote Heart of Gray not to invoke sorrow, not to tally his brother’s awards and accolades, but to honor his brother and to inspire others to live their lives with a purpose just as Ray did and to make a difference in the lives of others.
Lieutenant Ray Enners epitomizes what it means to be a leader of character and to “choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong.” Heart of Gray wonderfully captures LT Enners’ courage and life of selfless service to others and to country. His life of duty, and honor, and country will inspire future generations and all who read his story to renewed levels of selfless service and sacrifice to each other and to our Nation. —LTG Robert L. Caslen, Jr. ’75