World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Joe D. Wallace
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
Warren, Arkansas
Honored By
Don Wallace
SERVED ABOARD THE ABNER READ DD-526. PROVIDED HEAVY FIRE SUPPORT - HOLLANDIA OPERATION, APRIL 22-23, 1944. WAKDE-TOEM-SARMI (MAY 17); BIAK LANDINGS (MAY 27, JUNE 4-5 AND 8-9); NOEMFOOR LANDING (JULY 2), CAPE SANSAPOR LANDINGS (JULY 30); MOROTAI LANDINGS (SEPTEMBER 15); AND LEYTE LANDING (OCTOBER 20-24). ON NOVEMBER 1, 1944 OFF SAMAR, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, A JAPANESE KAMIKAZE DIVE BOMBER DROPPED A BOMB DOWN HER AFT STACK. THE JAPANESE PLANE, WITH ONE WING SHOT OFF, CAME DOWN DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE MAIN DECK, SETTING FIRE TO THE ENTIRE AFT SECTION AND CRASHED INTO THE AFT STACK. SHE SANK IN 32 MINUTES WITH THE LOSS OF 23 MEN.