World War II Honoree

George C. Wettlaufer

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Cascade, Pennsylvania

Honored By

MMCS (SS/RET) George E. Edwards II

Relationship

Nephew

IN 1943 AT THE AGE OF 17, THE DESIRE AND NEED TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY AFTER THE ATTACK AT PEARL HARBOR DROVE HIM TO THE U.S. MARINE CORPS RECRUITER OFFICE. HE WAS UPSET WHEN HE FOUND OUT THAT THE MARINES WERE NOT TAKING ANY MORE 17 YEAR OLDS. HE THEN WENT TO U.S. NAVY RECRUITING OFFICE AND ON APRIL 27, 1943 AND BECAME A PROUD MEMBER OF THE U.S. NAVY. HE REPORTED TO SAMPSON, NEW YORK FOR 12 WEEKS OF BOOT CAMP. AFTER BOOT CAMP, HIS NEXT STOP BEFORE THE WAR WAS GUNNERY TRAINING SCHOOL IN VIRGINIA. THERE, HE LEARNED TO FIRE AND MAINTAIN WEAPONS. AFTER TRAINING, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO A UNIT THAT DEPLOYED WITH THE MERCHANT MARINES TO PROVIDE DEFENSE FORCES ONBOARD MERCHANT SHIPS IN THE EVENT THEY WERE ATTACKED WHILE THEY WERE DELIVERING SUPPLIES TO THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS OVERSEAS. HE SERVED IN THE ATLANTIC, PACIFIC AND MEDITERRANEAN OCEANS, ARABIAN SEA AND THE PERSIAN GULF AND WENT TO MANY COUNTRIES INCLUDING ENGLAND, IRAN, BRAZIL, VENEZUELA, PANAMA, THE MARSHAL ISLANDS, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND THE CAROLINA ISLANDS. HE WAS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN COMBAT, ALTHOUGH HIS CONVOY DID LOSE SHIPS AND PERSONNEL, MOSTLY LOST DUE TO U-BOAT ATTACKS. DURING HIS SERVICE, HE ADVANCED FROM SEAMAN RECRUIT TO PETTY OFFICER THIRD CLASS IN EIGHT MONTHS. BY THE END OF THE WAR, HE HAD ADVANCED TO GUNNER'S MATE SECOND CLASS. AT THE END OF HIS TERM OF SERVICE, HE WAS SENT TO CLEARFIELD, UTAH FOR DISCHARGE WHERE HE ENDED UP GETTING THE MUMPS AND HAD TO STAY IN THE NAVY FOR AN EXTRA TEN DAYS TO ALLOW HIS CONDITION TO GET BETTER. HE WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE NAVY ON MARCH 12, 1946. HE WAS DECORATED WITH SEVERAL RIBBONS INCLUDING THE WWII VICTORY RIBBON, AMERICAN AREA CAMPAIGN RIBBON, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN AREA CAMPAIGN RIBBON AND PHILIPPINE LIBERATION RIBBON.