World War II Honoree

Wyche Blakely Murphy, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Stillwater, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

A MEMBER OF THE CHEROKEE INDIAN TRIBE, HE WAS SWORN INTO NAVAL SERVICE AS AN APPRENTICE SEAMAN AT TULSA, OKLAHOMA ON JANUARY 13, 1944 AT AGE 17, THE DAY BEFORE HIS 18TH BIRTHDAY. TOOK BASIC TRAINING AT THE NAVAL BASE AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA AND CONTINUED FOR THE NEXT 3-4 MONTHS IN TRAINING AT THE NAVAL TRAINING SCHOOL IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS AND THE NAVAL TRAINING CENTER AT GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI. NEXT ATTENDED THE RADAR AVIATION ELECTRONICS SCHOOL AT THE NAVAL AIR STATION AT GALVESTON, TEXAS. DEPLOYED OVERSEAS TO THE NAVAL STATION SANGLEY POINT, CAVITE NAVAL BASE, NEAR MANILA IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, WHERE HE REPAIRED RADAR EQUIPMENT ON NAVAL AIRCRAFT. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER AT SANGLEY UNTIL MAY, 1946. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946, AT THE SEPARATION CENTER AT THE NAVAL BASE AT NORMAN, OKLAHOMA AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN. CONTINUED IN MILITARY SERVICE AFTER THE WAR WITH THE NAVAL RESERVE UNTIL RECALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY, AND SERVED UNTIL AGAIN HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RATE OF PETTY OFFICER FIRST CLASS.