World War II Honoree

Howard William Pulliam

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Pasco, Washington

Honored By

Edwin G. Anderson, Sr.

Relationship

Shipmate

ENTERED THE SERVICE ON JUNE 9, 1941 AND ATTENDED BOOT CAMP AT THE NAVAL TRAINING CENTER SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SENT TO PEARL HARBOR AND ASSIGNED TO THE USS BENHAM DD-397 WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO THE USS ENTERPRISE TASK FORCE UNDER THE COMMAND OF BULL HALSEY. THE USS BENHAM WAS CREDITED WITH THE SINKING OF A JAPANESE SUBMARINE NEAR GUAM WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF RECEIVING THE REPORT OF THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR. THEY TOOK PART IN THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY AND THE RESCUE OF THE SURVIVORS OF THE USS HORNET. THEY ALSO TOOK PART IN THE PREPARATION FOR THE RAID ON TOKYO BY THE B-25 AIRCRAFT IN THE SPRING 1942. THE USS BENHAM WAS THEN SENT TO NEW CALEDONIA AND NEW HEBRIDES ISLANDS IN SUPPORT OF THE GUADALCANAL OPERATION ALONG WITH THE USS WASHINGTON AND USS SOUTH DAKOTA BATTLE SHIPS. IT WAS IN THIS AREA THAT THE USS BENHAM WAS SUNK BY A JAPANESE TORPEDO. HE WAS THEN ASSIGNED TO THE USS NECHES AO-47 FLEET TANKER AND SERVED ABOARD UNTIL MAY 1945. AWARDED 9 BRONZE STARS AND THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL WITH 1 STAR FOR SERVICE ABOARD THE USS BENHAM AND USS NECHES. MAY 1945, HE LEFT THE USS NECHES AND WAS ASSIGNED TO THE DESTROYER BASE IN SAN DIEGO UNTIL HIS DISCHARGE IN NOVEMBER 1945.