World War II Honoree

Paul A. Whitby

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Logan, Utah

Honored By

Self

DURING HIGH SCHOOL 1944-1945, WORKED WEEKENDS, CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS AND HIS ENTIRE SUMMER VACATION AT THE ARMY SERVICE FORCES DEPOT IN OGDEN, UTAH TO HELP THE WAR EFFORT. HE TOOK THE NAVY ELECTRONIC PREPARATION TRAINING IN HIGH SCHOOL AND PASSED THE 'CAPTAIN EDDY' ELECTRONIC TEST TO QUALIFY HIM FOR RADIO TECHNICIAN SCHOOL. HE JOINED THE NAVY AT AGE 17 AS A SEAMAN 1ST CLASS, RADIO TECHNICIAN. AFTER GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN MAY 1945, HE WENT TO BASIC TRAINING AT GREAT LAKES NAVAL TRAINING STATION. AFTER BASIC TRAINING HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE RADIO TECHNICIAN SCHOOL AT HERZL JUNIOR COLLEGE IN CHICAGO. WHEN THE WAR ENDED HE WAS TRANSFERRED BACK TO GREAT LAKES WHERE HE SERVED 100 DAYS PREPARING AND SERVING FOOD TO THE RETURNING WAR VETERANS WHO WERE BEING DISCHARGED. ON A TROOP TRAIN TO BREMERTON, WASHINGTON WHERE HE WAS TO BE ASSIGNED TO A NEW SHIP, HE CAME DOWN WITH SCARLET FEVER AND WAS DROPPED OFF AT THE HOSPITAL IN SHOEMAKER, CALIFORNIA WHERE HE ALSO CONTRACTED MUMPS. AFTER 46 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE USS PELIAS AT MARE ISLAND AND THEN ON TO TO THE HEADQUARTERS, SAN FRANCISCO GROUP, 19TH FLEET AT SAN FRANCISCO NAVAL SHIPYARDS AT HUNTER'S POINT WHERE HE SERVED ON ADMIRAL FORRESTAL'S STAFF AND DECOMMISSIONING TEAM THAT HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DECOMMISSIONING AND MOTHBALLING OR PRESERVING MANY OF THE WWII SHIPS RETURNING FROM WARTIME DUTY WHICH INCLUDED THE BATTLESHIP USS IOWA. HE WAS THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE DECOMMISSIONING TEAM HEADED BY ADMIRAL FORRESTAL. HE ROSE TO THE RANK OF YEOMAN 3RD CLASS DURING THIS TIME. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT TREASURE ISLAND IN AUGUST OF 1946.