World War II Honoree

Guy Freeman Harrison

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Dallas, Texas

Honored By

Arlyne Harrison, John Harrison

VOLUNTEERED FOR MILITARY SERVICE WITH THE U.S. NAVY AND HONORABLY SERVED AND DEFENDED OUR COUNTRY'S FREEDOM ON BOARD THE DESTROYER USS DOYLE DD494 AND DMS-34 FROM 1943 TO SEPTEMBER 9, 1945 AS A GUNNER'S MATE SECOND CLASS. HE WENT TO SEA WHEN THE USS DOYLE PUT OUT FROM CASCO BAY, MAINE APRIL 18, 1944 AND ARRIVED AT PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND 10 DAYS LATER TO PREPARE FOR THE INVASION OF NORMANDY. SIX WEEKS LATER ON JUNE 5, SHE AND THE CREW SORTIE WITH THE 31ST MINESWEEPING FLOTILLA TO CLEAR THE ASSAULT AREA. THE USS DOYLE PROVIDED FIRE SUPPORT TO THE LANDING FORCES ON D-DAY, JUNE 6. RECEIVED ON BOARD 37 SURVIVORS OF TWO LANDING CRAFTS, SERVED ON PATROL UNTIL RETURNING TO PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND ON JULY 15 FOR A BRIEF OVERHAUL. SAILING AUGUST 1, 1944 FOR ORAN, THE SHIP AND HER CREW DEPARTED FROM THAT PORT 10 DAYS LATER FOR THE INVASION OF SOUTHERN FRANCE, ESCORTING A CONVOY TO THE ASSAULT AREA AND PATROLLING TO COVER THE LANDINGS. SHE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE INVASION BY ESCORTING CONVOYS FROM NAPLES AND PATROLLING OFF MARSEILLES UNTIL SEPTEMBER 21 WHEN SHE SAILED FOR THE UNITED STATES, ARRIVING AT NEW YORK OCTOBER 3, 1944 FOR OVERHAUL. ROUGHLY THREE MONTHS LATER THE USS DOYLE MADE THREE MORE VOYAGES TO ESCORT CONVOYS TO NORTH AFRICA BETWEEN JANUARY 2 AND JUNE 10, 1945. SHE ARRIVED AT NORFOLK JUNE 20 FOR CONVERSION TO A HIGH SPEED MINESWEEPER AND WAS RECLASSIFIED DMS-34, JUNE 23, 1945. AFTER CONVERSION, SHE SAILED FROM NORFOLK AUGUST 27 FOR THE PACIFIC, CALLING AT SAN DIEGO, PEARL HARBOR AND OKINAWA, AND ARRIVING AT SASEBO OCTOBER 24. GUY FREEMAN HARRISON WAS DISCHARGED FROM ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY SERVICE UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS DURING THE SHIPS PORT CALL TO SAN DIEGO IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, 1945, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER RETURNED HOME TO HIS NATIVE STATE OF TEXAS.