PO Raymond "Ray" Diaz is a Engineman First Class (EN1) on the Nathan James.
Events of The Last Ship[]
Season 2[]
Diaz is first introduced as the leader of a small group of uninfected teenagers. The group was at a camp and managed to isolate themselves away from outsiders when the Red Flu broke out. A bounty was put on the crew of the Nathan James, and they tried to capture a crew member by surrounding them in a house. However, the rest of the crew came and surrounded them. After telling the crew their story, Chandler made a deal with them for safe passage on their ship and in exchange, Diaz will tell them how to signal the people who placed the bounty. Diaz stayed to fight them as part of the deal, and after seeing the dead body of his friend (who sneaked away to join the fight), became less brash in his eagerness to fight. His group stays on the Nathan James for a while because they couldn't find a safe place for them.
Season 3[]
He is seen as part of the crew aboard the Nathan James under the supervision of Miller.
He was part of the group that was captured during a party in Vietnam. He got seasick on the vessel they were being transported on, stating he wasn't used to a boat that rocky. Their captors grabbed and took him outside to get some fresh air, not without his crewmates panicking thinking they were going to kill him. (“Rising Sun”) While they were in captivity at Takehaya's camp, he found a way out of the building they were being kept in, and snuck out (with Miller) to get a better look at their surroundings and comm tower nearby. They were caught and were subjected to flogging during Takehaya's broadcast. While he and a couple of the captive crewmembers march in the wilderness with Takehaya, he managed to cut the ropes that were binding his hands and created a distraction long enough for him to escape into the woods. He eventually runs into Cooper and Chandler, much to his relief (as Diaz was the first captive they had come across), and leads them to where the others were being held. (“Dog Day”)
During the mission to capture the regional leaders, Diaz is recruited by Alisha Granderson to help record and decode any messages coming from the regional leaders. Diaz detects and records a phone call coming from General Bradley and struggles to understand one particular phrase Bradley uses in regards to the cargo. Working together, Alisha and Diaz manage to decipher it and realize that Bradley was saying that the cargo won't be hungry. Alarmed that the train they are planning on derailing contains people, Alisha quickly contacts the Vulture team in time to warn them of the development and to stop the derailment. (“Resistance”)
He is part of the crew unloading supplies at the San Diego Emergency Shelter. Later, he helps create the ship's smokescreen. After Chandler resigns his commission and leaves the Navy, Diaz stands watching alongside Miller and O'Connor. (“Don't Look Back”)
Season 4[]
During the attack on the Triton, he is ordered to ignore everything he has been taught and ram the Greek ship with the Nathan James so that a boarding party can jump between ships and help Tom Chandler and Sasha Cooper. Diaz is able to pull off the maneuver with the help of precise directions from Kara Green who monitors their approach. (“Endgame”)
In the 3 years between the end of Season 4 and the beginning of Season 5, Ray is promoted to Petty Officer Second Class, then Petty Officer First Class. He also cross-rates (retrains for a new Navy occupation) to Engineman.
Awards and Decorations[]
The following are the medals and service awards fictionally worn by Diaz. Ray received the National Defense Service Medal for his actions during the Red Flu crisis. (“The Scott Effect”)
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