World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Richard I. Allen
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
Walters, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
JOINED THE NAVY JANUARY 1942. ATTENDED 'BOOT CAMP' AT NORFOLK, VIRGINIA. SERVED 14 MONTHS SEA DUTY ABOARD AMERICAN MERCHANT SHIPS AS A MEMBER OF A GUN CREW. CITED FOR ACTIONS HE TOOK TO SAVE ANOTHER MERCHANT SHIP WITH VITAL WAR CARGO FROM SUBMARINE ATTACK. HE SPOTTED TORPEDOES IN THE WATER AND RAISED THE ALARM. UPON DISCOVERING THE RADIOS ABOARD HIS SHIP WERE NOT WORKING, HE USED SIGNAL FLAGS TO ALERT THE OTHER SHIP AND SAVED IT FROM BEING HIT.