Here are some pages taken from Don Shelton's old USS RAY website:
If anyone has copies of these awards, please forward them to webmaster@rayunion.net, even if all they say is "For completion of a mission of extreme significance to the United States" or "For doing the stuff you did when you didn't go where you were doing the stuff you didn't do (even though you really did.)"

Five Navy Unit Citations
USS Ray received the Navy Unit Citation in 1967, 1969, 1974, 1975 and 1981.

Click on each thumbnail to read the Commendation.
Information provided by STCM(SS) Owen "Coyote" Carlson.

Six Meritorious Unit Commendations
USS Ray received the Meritorious Unit Commendation in 1968 (twice,) 1970, 1979, 1988 and 1991.

Click on each thumbnail to read the Commendation.
Information provided by STCM(SS) Owen "Coyote" Carlson, Capt. Buzz Galbraith, MM2(SS) Greg "Chew" Howson, Cdr Chuck Trahan, and Cdr Jeff Gordon.

6 Navy Expeditionary Medals
USS Ray received the Navy Expeditionary Medal in 1970, 1974, (1977-1981 twice), 1988 and 1991.
Info provided by Carl Strukley EM1(SS/DV).

3 Arctic Service Awards
USS Ray participated in ICEX-86. Each crew member was presented with the Arctic Service Ribbon for ICEX-86.
A second Arctic Service Ribbon was awarded in 1990. A third Arctic Service Ribbon was awarded in 1990.
Given the absence of documentation, these second and third awards are presumably for "Northern Runs" that "never really happened."
Info provided by Capt. Jim Adams & LT(SS) Tom McGreevy.

A "Clean Sweep" in 1975!
Battle Efficiency Award for: Excellence, Engineering E and Antisubmarine Weapons and Operational “A” for fiscal year 1975 issued to each crewmember.
Information provided by EM2(SS) David “Sticky Buns” Schueller.
Click on thumbnail for a larger picture.

E Battle Efficiency "E" for excellence in Engineering. (red) Presented to USS Ray in 1982
Information provided by EM2(SS) Thomas Hammill

USS Ray received a Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation for the period November 1983 to February 1985 for completion of the overhaul at Charleston Naval Shipyard 66 days ahead of the Chief of Naval Operations originally scheduled completion date.

Most decorated Submarine in Atlantic Fleet at Inactivation!

Rear Admiral Albert Kelln (retired)
In 1986, Rear Admiral Albert Kelln (retired), then a Commander and skipper of the USS Ray (SSN-653) was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal.
Although we don't have a copy of either of the two Meritorious Unit Citations issued to USS Ray in 1968, this individual Commendation issued to the Admiral is probably for one of the same missions.
Info provided by Cecily Kelln.

From our commissioning Engineer:
What our people should know is that the Ray was completed in the shortest time of any nuclear submarine. I was the first officer to report and Bob Kennedy was soon after. We also set the NNSB&DDC record for the most deficiencies submitted. Clearly the performance after commissioning stands for itself. This was the result of an outstanding engineering department. Reid Smith.