Walter Wayne Parker was born to John and Bertha Par-
ker November 23, 1922, near Big Sandy, Tennessee.
He was drafted into the U.S. Navy February 23, 1943,
and went through boot camp at Bainbridge, Maryland.
From there he was sent to radio school at Auburn, Alaba-
ma. After I6 weeks of radio school, he was given an RM
3/C rating and sent to the naval armory in Los Angeles,
California, for six more weeks of training to earn signaling
and Merchant Marine procedures. He was then sent to San
Francisco, California, to the Treasure Island Armed Guard
Center.
He was assigned to the AG crew of the SS J WARREN
KIEFFER in November 1943. After stops at Auckland,
New Zealand, New Hebrides and picking up a load of
nitrate in Chile, the ship docked at Mobile, Alabama, in
March 1944. He was then detached and sent to the Armed
Guard Center at New Orleans, Louisiana. From there he
was sent to the crew of the SS JOSEPH LEIDY at Charles-
ton, South Carolina.
The LEIDY joined a convoy at Norfolk, Virginia, and
sailed to Dran, Algiers. The LEIDY returned to New York
June 9, 1944. He was then detached and sent to Armed
Guard Center Brooklyn, New York. From there he was
sent to California and eventually wound up in the Flag of
Commander Service Squadron 10 Rep. C at Saipan in
August 1944. He remained in Saipan until the war was
over. After going on to Wakayama, Japan, he returned to
the States and was discharged from the Navy at Nashville,
Tennessee December 12, 1945.
He married Clarice Leola Hicks of East Prairie, Missouri
June 8, 1946. They have two daughters, Patricia Gale and
Nancy Lynn.
Prior to his retirement on June 1, 1985, he was
employed as a boiler operator by the Tennessee Valley
Authority. He now resides at Route 1, Camden, Tennessee
38320.
DON CALVIN PARKS
Don Calvin Parks was born in Webster, Pennsylvania,
June 11, 1924. He joined the U.S. Navy May 29, 1943,
and went to Great Lakes (Company #746) for boot train-
ing. He then went on to gunnery school at Gulfport, Mis-
sissippi, fired guns on the USS DOVER and USS LASH
(gun boats from World War I) in the Gulf of Mexico.
Boarded a troop train and went to Armed Guard Cen-
ter, Treasure Island, California. Sent to San Pedro, Califor-
nia, and got on his first ship at Terminal Island, the SS
MAGNOLIA (tanker) October 1943.
Carried gasoline for the invasion of the New Britain
Island. Sailed the North and South Pacific and Indian
Oceans. Came through the Panama Canal to Aruba, then
returned to the united States at New York, New York.
Then assigned to Armed Guard Center, Brooklyn, New
York. Sent to rest camp for two weeks at Haverstraw, New
York. In July 1944, assigned to Liberty ship SS MARY
PICKERSGILL. While running in convoy made trips to
England, Scotland, Wales, and France from New York
and Philadelphia till March 1945. Then assigned to liber-
ty ship SS FRANK WIGGINS. This trip took him again
through the Panama Canal on his way to Manila in the
Philippines.
While there the war with Japan ended. After arriving
back at San Francisco was sent to Treasure Island Armed
Guard Center and then to Camp Shoemaker. Boarded a
train for Philadelphia Navy Yard. Then on to Samson,
New York, and was honorably discharged as a coxswain on
February 16, 1946.
In his travels he crossed the international Date Line four
times, and the equator six times. On his first ship he ate
breakfast in the Pacific and supper in the Atlantic, and on
his last ship he ate breakfast in the Atlantic and supper in
the Pacific.
The countries he saw while serving in the Armed Guard
include: Iran, Australia, New Guinea, Panama, Aruba,
Scotland, England, Wales, France, Manus, Philippines,
and Leyte.
Now retired Don and his wife Alberta live at RD # 1,
Box 48A Charleroi, Pennsylvania 15022.
ALEX J. PASIERB
Alex J. Pasierb was born to Anthony and Anna Pasierb
July 8, 1925, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in
the U.S. Navy September 24, 1943, and trained at Great
Lakes, Illinois. From Great Lakes, he was sent to Armed
Guard gunnery school, Gulfport, Mississippi.
Alex was sent to the Armed Guard Center, New Orle-
ans, Louisiana, for assignment, and was shipped to Jack-
sonville, Florida, where he was assigned as a gunner on the
SS JAMES L. ACKERSON. The ACKERSON joined a
convoy in New York and went to Glasgow, Scotland, with
military supplies. In Glasgow, the ship was converted to a
troop transport.
From Glasgow, the ship sailed to Southhampton,
England, where the 29th Army Infantry Division for par-
ticipation in the "D" Day invasion was loaded. The inva-
sion convoy was attacked by German "E" boats, subma-
rines and ME-109 German planes. One Liberty Ship was
torpedoed and abandoned.
On arrival at Omaha Beach, gunfire from the French
coast was so heavy that the ship could not unload troops
and equipment. For three days, the ship was under cons-
tant attack by German planes. It later had to go to Utah
Beach to unload. Five additional shuttle trips between Ire-
land, England, and the French Coast were made.
The JAMES L. ACKERSON was in Southhampton,
England, when V2 Robot Bombs were dropped on
England. Alex was then assigned to the Armed Guard
Center, Brooklyn, New York, where he boarded the SS
WINFRED L. SMITH and went to Murmansk, Russia.
The convoy was attacked by German planes off the Nor-
wegian coast.
Alex's other assignments included the WINFRED L.
SMITH, SS CHARLES W. PEALE, SS FRENCH
CREEK, duty at the O/CS at SHELTON, Virginia, SS
OACHITA VICTORY, SS ORSON D MUNN, SS
GRETNA VICTORY, SS BENJAMIN WARNER,
which took a shipload of beer to Manila, Philippines and
duty at RS PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, and PSC
LIDO BEACH, Long Island, New York.
Alex served in the European, African, Middle Eastern
and Asiatic Pacific areas, he was discharged March 25,
1946, and received a battle star for the,"D" Day invasion.
Alex is a graduate of St. Francis College, Loretto, Penn-
sylvania, and took graduate studies at the University of
Pittsburgh. He is the present athletic director at United
High School, Armagh, Pennsylvania. He married Marga-
ret B. Martinek August 16, 1951, and has four children:
Michael, Jane, George and Alice.
On March 16, 1989, Alex was chosen as Outstanding
Athletic Director 1989 for the State of Pennsylvania,
which consists of 501 school districts.
Alex now lives at 521 Jean Avenue, Johnstown, Penn-
sylvania 15906.
MACK HAGEN PAYNTER, JR.
Mack Hagen Paynter, Jr., was born May 2, 1925, in
Wheeling, West Virginia, to Mack and Hazel Paynter, Sr.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy July 9, 1943 in Clarksburg,
West Virginia, and attended boot camp at Great Lakes,
Illinois, where he was a member of Co. # 1085 and a Co.
Commander C.sp. P.E. Freed. He also was assigned to
Camp Shelton, Virginia, for gunnery school; the Armed
Guard Center in Brooklyn, New York; and Edinburgh,
Scotland, for gunnery school, specializing in Fortwin Lewis
guns, and first aid school.
Mack sailed aboard the SS WILLIAM A. JONES and
took his first trip south through Torpedo Junction to
Cuba. The ship was loaded with sugar and on the way back
to New York, the deck was loaded with tanks and trucks.
On a voyage to England, the ship broke down and had to
break off the convoy. The crew spent 27 hours in general
quarters. The ship shuttled between England and the
States until the middle of May 1944. The ship was
anchored in Firth-of-Forth, Scotland, for three weeks and
later transported the Canadian Army to the Invasion of
Normandy on June 6, 1944. The ship made two shuttle
trips to Normandy, the last one into Cherbourg Harbor.
Mack completed his duty on the ship on September 9,
1944.
He then went on leave and returned to the Armed
Guard Center in Brooklyn, New York. After being
assigned to a gun crew and shipped to the west coast and
back, he was assigned to the SS BENJAMIN HUN-
TINGTON, based out of Baltimore, Maryland. The ship
made trips to England, Scotland, Wales, the Mediterra-
nean Sea, North Africa, Bizerte, Iran, Lybia, Sicily, Italy,
France, Belgium and the Netherlands. It picked up Ger-
man war prisoners to bring back to the States, but was
rammed by a tanker and had to go to a shipyard in Cardiff,
Wales, for repairs.
After returning to Brooklyn~ New York, Mack was
detached to the U.S. Navy Hospital in St. Albans, New
York, August 12, 1945. He was later discharged from the
service at the same hospital October 10, 1945. He received
the C.B.I. European-African Roakcluster Award and
attained the rank of Seaman 1/C.
He was a charter bus driver for 20 years until he retired.
He also was a dental lab technician and a silk screen opera-
tor. His wife, Belva I. (Hubbs) Paynter, and he have three
sons, George E., who made two tours in Vietnam with
C.B.s in the U.S. Navy and Larry A. and Mack H. III, and
a daughter, Janet Marie. His current address is 2371 E.
41st, Lorain, Ohio 44055-2838.
JOHN F. PEARCE
The crew of the SS JOHN FINCH was in Behai, Brazil,
August 20, 1943, after completing over a three-quarter
trip circling the globe.
John F. Pearce was aboard the FITCH and relates the
journey as follows:
They started in New York on March 4, 1943, arriving
in Cuba on March 11, and in Panama March 12. On
March 17, they headed for Fremantle, Australia, arriving
April 26. From there on May 2, their destination was
Kherranshahr, Iran, arriving June 1, and they unloaded
Russian supplies. On June 30, they left for the Bahrien
Islands in the Persian Gulf to refuel. On July 4, they left
for Behia, Brazil, with an arrival on August 14, and on
August 24, to Dutch Guinea. On September 3, they
arrived to load bauxite and left September 6 for Trinidad
to refuel. On September 10, the ship sailed to New York
through the windward passage, completing the circle on
September 16. John left the ship in New York for home.
The crew members aboard the SS JOHN FITCH for
the trip were: Lt. E.L. Barker, New Hampshire; BM1
H.M. Morgan, Arkansas; CMB W. Ayers, Kansas; S1/c
D. Dartez, Louisiana; T.H. Deahl, Pennsylvania; R.H.
Desch, Pennsylvania; S.O. Grobe, Kansas; Hayward, New
York; H.E. Lewis, Ohio; L. Lucia, Connecticut; J.L.
Neaves, Massachusetts; D.C. Noyes, New Hampshire;
A.M. Paradis, Maine; R.M. Parent, Massachusetts; L.
Payeur, New Hampshire; J.F. Pearce, Massachusetts; J.
Pelak, New Jersey; S. Pecor, New York; F. Perry, Massa-
chusetts; T. Perko, Connecticut; Reichenberg, Connecti-
cut; J.T. Reilly, New York; Sternowski, New Jersey; and
WILLIAM J. PERDUE
William J. Perdue, a native of Huntington, West Vir-
ginia, enlisted in the U.S. Navy September 13, 1941.He
went to recruit training in Norfolk, Virginia, and the
went to the Armed Guard Center in Little Creek, Virginia,
where he was assigned to gun crew #27.
He served on the MS ISLAND MALL, the SS WIL-
LIAM WHIPPLE, the SS HAYM SALOMON, the SS
EDWARD RICHARDSON, the SS GEORGE G
MEADE, the USS SC 714, and the USS LST 391.
He was discharged in May 1947, attaining Gunners
Mate 2/C. He is a retired commercial pilot and currently
resides at #217 La Casa, Lake Whales, Florida 33853.
CLIFTON N. PERKINS
Harry H. Perkins and Nora Lee (Thompson) were the
parents of Clifton N. "Perk" Perkins, born in Lorado,
West Virginia, April 5, 1922. Perk moved to Ashland,
Kentucky, at the age of three, attended school in West-
wood, Kentucky, and Ashland High in Ashland, Ken-
tucky.
He joined the U.S. Navy October 30, 1941, and took
basic training at Great Lakes Training Center. Although
he was scheduled to take leave December 6, the whole class
in OGU was held until Sunday morning when they heard
about the attack on Pearl Harbor. The class then was sent
to San Diego where Perk received Armed Guard training
on the CRANE and was later assigned to the Armed
Guard Center at Treasure Island.
Perk sailed on the WEST CUSSETTA out of Bremer-
ton, Washington from January 21, 1942, until September
1, 1942. The ship had two 30 caliber and two 50 caliber
guns on the bridge and a 4-inch 50 deck gun on the fan
tail. The ship also had a "dummy" put on the bow in Wel-
lington, New Zealand, in hope that a submarine would try
and take it out first, giving the ship a few shots with its real
guns. During his tour of duty on the ship, Perk went to
Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra. He says, "I had a darn
good time."
Perk was later assigned to the SS MAUNAWILLI from
August 15, 1942, to November 2, 1942, and the S PHIL-
LAE in late 1942 and early 1943. On one of the ships, Perk
and the crew picked up a load of coffee between Panama
and Central America and took it back to San Francisco. In
addition, one of the ships had the first two women. Mess
Stewardesses. The Russian Merchant ships also had wom-
en on board.
He also sailed on the SS JAMES CALDWELL from
May 5, 1943, to December 30, 1943, and on the SS
ALCOA MASTER from February 19, 1944, to December
30, 1945. He went to Liverpool and South Hampton,
England, and saw the Persian Gulf up to Abadan and
Khorramshahr. He lost his wrist watch over the side in the
Tigres River. Other areas he visited were Salvador (Bahia)
and Recife, Brazil, Noumea, New Caledonia, the Fiji and
Samoan islands, and Guam and Tahiti.
After the Armed Guard, Perk served on the USS
Y.O.G. 57, the USS L.S.M. 487, the USS BRONX APA
236 and the USS CHILTON APA 38. He was then dis-
charged and looked for civilian work. When he couldn't
find enough work, Perk tried to re-enlist with the Navy,
but they were not taking anymore men. As a result, he
joined the Air Force and finally retired September 30,
1964.
He retired from Republic Steel on April 30, 1984. Perk
and his wife Helen travel, play golf and go bowling.
Although they never had any children, they have lots of
nieces and nephews.
His address is P.O. Box 6, Massillon, Ohio 44648.
WILLIAM J. PIRES
William J. Pires was born January 6, 1923, in New
Bedford, Massachusetts. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy
December 14, 1942, and attended boot camp at Great
Lakes, Illinois, and was then assigned to the Armed Guard
Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Ships he served on were the SS LOUIS MARSHALL,
the SS PAN MARYLAND, and a Trinidad BWI Crash
Boat. He served in NAS at BOCA CHICA, (Key West)
Florida, as well.
William received the European North African, Good
Conduct with Star, Victory and American Campaign
awards.
His most memorable experience was returning to the
U.S. with 999 German prisoners and one Arab spy in
1943 aboard a Liberty Ship, the SS LOUIS MARSHALL.
He later took liberty in Casablanca, Oran, Algiers, Naples
and Bari.
During his civilian career, he served on the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers as a launch operator at Cape Cod Canal,
Cape Cod, for 19 years. He also was a construction inspec-
tor for Rivers and Harbors in The New England Division
of the Army Engineers for six years. He retired as a LCDR
for the Coast Guard Reserves after 24 years.
He and his wife, Estelle, have four children and current-
ly reside at 51 Evelyn Street, N. Dartmouth, Massachu-
setts 02747 for six months out of the year and spend the
other half at 1121 B. Keystone Drive, North Jupiter, Flor-
ida.
LYLE B. PLUNKETT
Lyle B. Plunkett was born August 6, 1925, in Quincy,
Illinois. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy August 1942 and
completed boot camp at Camp Dewey in Great Lakes, Illi-
nois. After boot camp, he attended gunnery school at Vir-
ginia Beach, Virginia.
After gunnery school, Lyle went aboard the Tanker SS
WILMINGTON, a new ship out of Chester, Pennsylva-
nia, in November 1942. He went on shakedown runs up
and down the East Coast. In January 1943, he got a bad
case of the influenza and was sent to the Armed Guard
Center at Ist Avenue 52nd Street in Brooklyn, New York,
for a short time. In January 1943, he was also assigned to
the ship SS DANIEL HIESTER and made the run to the
Persian Gulf by way of the Panama Canal, Western Aus-
tralia, Perth, Freemantle, the Indian Ocean and the Arabi-
an Sea.
His next ship was the SS GEORGE HANDLEY, on
which he made several trips with troops and cargo to
Europe and participated in the invasion of Southern France
August 15, 1944, accumulating 39 months of sea duty.
His most memorable experience was in a large convoy
off the coast of South America. Four ships around his were
hit with torpedoes. Fortunately, his ship was unharmed.
Lyle was discharged December 19, 1945, as a Seaman
1/C, and married June Orr September 22, 1945. He re-
enlisted in the Army in 1948 and served in Europe. He lat-
er served one tour in Vietnam in 1963 at Socktrang. He
earned the Air Medal flying as a door gunner in H-21 and
received the Atlantic Campaign, Pacific Campaign,
World War II Victory Medal, Good Conduct.
He retired from the service on December 1, 1964, with
a combined service time of over 20 years. Lyle retired from
the Allstate Insurance Company on September 1, 1988,
and currently resides at 1106 Madera Court, Seaside, Cali-
fornia 93955.
JOSEPH O. POISSON
Joseph O. Poisson was born August 29, 1924, in Marl-
borough, New Hampshire. He joined the U.S. Navy
October 9, 1942, and took basic training at Newport,
Rhode Island, and gunnery training at Little Creek, Vir-
ginia.
He was assigned to the SS SANTA CRUZ, a type CI,
from December 29, 1942, to August 16, 1943. His next
assignment was on the SS INDIANA, a tanker, from Sep-
tember 15, 1943, to January, 1944. On March 4, 1944,
he was assigned on the USAT BETTY JANE, an Army
transport ship, which took him into the invasion of South-
ern France, fnr which he was awarded a bronze medal.
From June 1945 to November 10, 1945, he was aboard
the Liberty Ship SS OTIS SKINNER. On January 6,
1946, he was discharged in Boston, Massachusetts.
On February 12, 1946, he married his wife of 43 years
the former Anna McKernon. They have two sons. Joe was
a self-employed barber for 42 years and retired in 1987.
Joe would like to hear from any of his old shipmates.
His current address is 15 Needle Street, Kenne, New
Hampshire 03431.
JOSEPH B. PRAGA
Joseph B. Praga was born April 28, 1915, in Albany,
New York. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy December 30,
1941. He went to boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois, and
to gunnery school at the San Diego Destroyer Base, Califor-
nia. In August 1944, he had amphibious training at Little
Creek, Virginia.
He achieved the rank of boatswain's mate 1/C. In addi-
tion to the Purple Heart Medal, Joe received the Navy
Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal,
the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the European-
African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the World
War II Victory Medal, the Korean Service Medal (with one
Bronze Star), the United Nations Service Medal, and the
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
He had five brothers who served in the Armed Forces
during World War II.
His first ship was a "President Lines" ship troop carrier
to the Pacific Islands. In 1942, he was assigned to the SS
PAINE, which sailed to the Pacific Islands, Australia, Tas-
mania, Ceylon, Bombay, Portuguese East Africa, Cape
Town, Rio deJaneiro, Brazil and New York. He then went
to the Portland, Oregon Shipyard and boarded the SS
CHENG CHUNG. This ship, flying a Chinese Flag,
sailed to San Francisco and loaded ammo at Oakland. The
ship proceeded to various Pacific Islands, then Sydney,
Newcastle, Wellington, New Zealand, Perth, Australia,
Calcutta and India. Heading west, the SS CHENG
CHUNG was torpedoed and sunk on February 3, 1944.
at 11:30 p.m. While in the water, some of the survivors
were questioned by the submarine crew as follows: "An-
swer or we will turn the machine guns on your buddies in
the water." The next day, the survivors were picked up by
an English Indian Ship, the SS MAHA DAVI, whose crew
told the survivors, "We will drop the cargo nets and make
only one pass because of submarines in the area." Joe set
ashore at Arden, Arabia, and next boarded an English pris-
oner of war ship carrying Italian prisoners and sailed up the
Red Sea to Port Said, Egypt. From March to July 1944, he
had temporary duty with the U.S. Navy Replacement Pool
at Port Said, Egypt. He also served aboard the USS LSM
417 and was discharged in September 1945.
Joe was recalled to active duty in 1950 for the Korean
action and served aboard the USS THOMAS JEFFER-
SON APA 30 until his discharge in 1951.
Joe returned to Albany and resumed work as a journey-
man ironworker and is a member of the International
Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Iron-
workers, Local # 12.
He is married to Adria and has three daughters: Judith,
Sandy and Lyn, and has five grandchildren. He lives at lB
Dorlyn Road, Albany, New York 12205.
FRANK J. PRESNAL
Frank J. Presnal was born May 16, 1921, and is from
Adams, Massachusetts. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy May
13, 1942, and re-enlisted October 25, 1948. He attended
boot camp in Newport, Rhode Island, and gunnery school
in Little Creek, Virginia. He then was assigned to the
Armed Guard Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Frank sailed aboard the SS MORMAC MOON. He got
sick on board while anchored in Suez Bay, Egypt, and
transferred to sickbay in the desert with Shiga dysentary.
After spending one month in sick bay and losing 30
pounds, he transferred to the SS GEORGE VAN COU-
VER, a west coast Liberty Ship. Later, he served on the SS
CAPULIN, the SS JOHN W. GARRETT and the PAUL
H. HARWOOD.
After being discharged November 23, 1945, he re-
enlisted October 25, 1948. He sailed aboard the USS
OKANOGAN APA-220, the USS COMSTOCK LSD-
19 and the USS TELFAIR APA-210. He then spent three
years on shore duty in Sasebo, Japan. He later served
aboard the USS UVALDE AKA-88 and USS VESUVIUS
AE-15. When he was in Naples, Italy, he saw Mount
Vesuvius. Frank later spent two years on shore duty at the
NAAS in Kingsville, Texas. He also sailed aboard the USS
IWOJIMA (LPH-2), the first amphibious helicopter car-
rier built from keel up.
He returned to civilian life after discharge from the
Navy for a second time May 19, 1964. He spent 10 years
in the Naval Reserve, bringing his total service time to 30
years.
Frank was present at a submarine and torpedo bomber
attack off the coast of Murmansk, Russia, in January
1945. He saw one British cruiser get blown up and five
merchant ships damaged. His most memorable experience
was seeing a torpedo heading straight for his ship. Fortu-
nately, a large wave altered the torpedo's course and pre-
vented it from hitting the ship.
Attaining the rank of GM3, Frank received the Good
Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-
African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II
Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal with two Bronze
Stars, Navy Occupation Service Medal (Asia), China Ser-
vice Medal (extended), National Defense Service Medal
with 1 Bronze Star, Korean Service Medal with 1 Bronze
Star and 1 Silver Star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
with 1 Bronze Star (Cuba and Vietnam), United Nations
Service Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Cita-
tion and Republic of Viemam Campaign Medal -- device
1960.
Frank is married to Adella. He retired from the Boston
and Maine Railroad in 1983. His current address is 11
Grove Street, Adams, Massachusetts 01220.
JOHN A. PREZIOSI
John A. Preziosi was born in Atripalda, Italy, on Janu-
ary 6, 1922. He came to the United States in 1929, when
he was seven years old, and settled in Dover, New Jersey.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in August 1942.
He took his boot training at Newport, Rhode Island,
and after three weeks was assigned to the Armed Guard
Center in Brooklyn, New York.
John shipped out on the Zebulon B. Vance to the Per-
sian Gulf. He was also assigned to the STEPHEN T. FOS-
TER, the MATHER, the BULKOIL and three other ships.
In between ships, he attended gunnery school at Shel-
ton, Virginia. He attained the rank of GM 2/C.
In September 1945, he received an honorable discharge.
He married Virginia Horn on July 17, 1949. They have
three children: Sue, John Jr., and James.
John retired from the United States Postal Service in
December 1978 and resides at 15 Roxbury Drive, Kenvil,
New Jersey 07847.
ERNEST A. PRICE, JR.
Ernest A. Price, Jr. was born January 15, 1926, in
Cleveland, Ohio. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy June 19,
1942, at the age of 16. He completed boot camp at Great
Lakes, Illinois, August 10, 1942, and was later assigned to
navy Special Forces (Armed Guard), Seaman Gunner on
the SS RICHARD D. SPAIGHT. September 2, 1942.
He survived the sinking of the SS SPAIGHT on March
10, 1943, by two torpedoes forward on the starboard side,
and approximately 12 to 15 rounds of deck gun shell fire
from the German submarine (U-182). Ernest's 3-inch 50
bow gun was manned and trained to starboard, however,
his forward gun crew was unable to return fire, due to the
rapid sinking of the ship. All of his gun crew were pulled
under water and came up moments later with the aid of
their life jackets. This combat action took place 350 miles
northeast of Durban, South Africa (28-00 South/37-00
East) in the Indian Ocean. As a result of the combat action,
Seaman 1/C Price received wounds to the face and head.
One crew member was killed in the action. Ernest's life
boat was captured by the German submarine, the crew
questioned at gun point and Price was held prisoner of war
for approximately one hour, and released.
On March 14, 1943, Ernest's life boat landed on the
beach near St. Lucia Lighthouse, South Africa. He contin-
ued sailing with the Armed Guard til the end of World
War II, August 14, 1945. He then was transferred to the
Atlantic Fleet and sailed to the South Pole aboard Rear
Admiral Richard E. Byrd's Flagship the USS MOUNT
OLYMPUS (AGC-8), 1946-1947.
Ernest left the Navy in July 1948, and in the following
October 1948, enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served in the
tenth U.S. Corps Ordnance Section during the Korean
War, and served two years with the Army Aviation
Branch, retiring as a Sergeant at Fort Ord, California, June
1, 1963, with 20-years combined military service.
He later served as a civilian military advisor for the
Department of the Army in Pleiku, South Vietnam from
June 1967 to November 1967. He currently is Com-
mander, Military Order of the Purple Heart of the U.S.A.,
1990-1991, Chapter 379, Inland Empire, California. He
is married to Barbara A. Price and they have two daugh-
ters; Denise and Theresa. Now fully retired, Price lives at
9540 Charter Oak Lane, Riverside, California 92503-
6230.