World War II Honoree

Frederick Albert 'Fred' Cotterell

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Chicago, Illinois

Honored By

John L. Maurath

Relationship

Dear Friend & Next Door Neighbor

ENLISTED IN THE SEABEES. FRED WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE U.S. NAVAL CONSTRUCTION BATTALION IN WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA WHERE HE RECEIVED BASIC TRAINING. VOLUNTEERED FOR THE DIVING SCHOOL, BUT WAS INSTEAD SENT TO DEMOLITION SCHOOL. HE BECAME A PILLBOX DEMOLITION EXPERT AND AN EXPERT MARKSMAN. HE WAS CLASSIFIED AS A NAVAL MACHINIST MATE. SIX WEEKS LATER, FRED WAS ABOARD THE USS AINSWORTH, A DESTROYER TENDER HEADED FOR PEARL HARBOR. HE WAS LATER STATIONED AT MAUI, WHERE HE WAS ATTACHED TO THE 2ND AND 4TH MARINE CORPS DIVISIONS. BECAUSE OF HIS SPECIALTY TRAINING, HE WAS CALLED OUT MANY TIMES FOR 'SPECIAL DUTY'. FRED HAS BLOWN UP OVER 20 PILL BOXES. WILLINGLY, HE RISKED HIS LIFE MANY TIMES UNDER HEAVY FIRE JUST TO GET TO THE PILL BOXES, WHILE THE MARINES OFFERED PROTECTIVE FIRE-COVER. SEVERAL TIMES HE WAS CALLED OUT TO BE A SNIPER, SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCTED TO TARGET ENEMY OFFICERS. FRED AND A CREW OF SEVERAL OTHER MEN SWAM UNDERWATER AND BLEW UP THE DOCK AT ENIWETOK, WHERE THE ATOMIC BOMB WAS FIRST DETONATED. THE ONLY TIME FRED WAS SCARED WAS WHEN HE WAS SENT ON A SPECIAL UNDERWATER MISSION WITH 9 OTHER MEN TO CUT LOOSE THE MINES IN TANAPANG HARBOR (HARBOR OF SAIPAN), SO THEY COULD BE DETONATED TO PREVENT THE DESTRUCTION OF U.S. SHIPS AND FREIGHTERS. IRONICALLY, AN AMERICAN OIL TANKER VENTURED INTO THE AREA UNEXPECTEDLY WHERE FRED AND HIS CREW WERE WORKING ON THE MINES. JAPANESE SOLDIERS WITH 5 INCH GUNS WERE HIDING IN CAVES, IN THE BLUFFS OVERLOOKING THE HARBOR AND BEGAN FIRING AT THE TANKER. THE SHELLS WERE HITTING AND EXPLODING ALL AROUND FRED AND HIS CREW. EVERYONE EXCEPT FRED AND TWO OTHER MEN WERE KILLED. FRED, KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS BY THIS TIME FROM THE CONCUSSIONS, HAD FLOATED TO THE TOP OF THE WATER AND WAS FOUND BY A RESCUE CREW, BLEEDING PROFUSELY FROM HIS NOSE AND EARS. AS A RESULT, HE COMPLETELY LOST HIS HEARING IN HIS RIGHT EAR AND HAS HAD TROUBLE HEARING OUT OF HIS LEFT EAR EVER SINCE. WHEN HE FINALLY REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS, HE FOUND HIMSELF IN THE 127TH ARMY FIELD HOSPITAL AND IT WAS 4 WEEKS OF RECOVERY. HE WAS SENT TO HIS BASE ON SAIPAN, WHERE HE WORKED IN A MACHINE SHOP WITH THE SEABEES. HE WAS FINALLY GIVEN A MEDICAL DISCHARGE BECAUSE OF HIS EARS AND SENT HOME.