World War II Honoree

Thomas E. Greenwell

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Morganfield, Kentucky

Honored By

Walter R. Greenwell

Relationship

Brother

ENLISTED IN THE NAVY IN 1938 WHEN HE WAS 18 YEARS OLD. AFTER GRADUATING FROM BOOT CAMP AT NAVAL TRAINING CENTER, NORFOLK, HE RECEIVED ORDERS TO THE HEAVY CRUISER USS ASTORIA CA-34 AND WENT ABOARD ON NOVEMBER 11, 1938; SHE WAS HIS HOME FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS. WHEN THE JAPANESE ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR, USS ASTORIA WAS WITH A CARRIER TASK FORCE ON THE WAY TO WAKE ISLAND AND IT WAS ORDERED TO RETURN TO HAWAII. ARRIVING IN PEARL HARBOR ON DECEMBER 13, 1941 THE CREW WITNESSED THE UTTER DEVASTATION OF THE ATTACK. DURING THE BATTLES OF CORAL SEA AND MIDWAY, USS ASTORIA SERVED IN THE SCREENING FORCE FOR THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS YORKTOWN CV-5. ONE OF THE FIRST SALVOS IN THE INITIAL BOMBARDMENT OF GUADALCANAL WAS FIRED BY USS ASTORIA. SHE WAS SUNK DURING THE BATTLE OF SAVO ISLAND ON THE NIGHT OF AUGUST 8-9, 1942. HONOREE WAS ONE OF THE FEW FORTUNATE SURVIVORS. HIS NEXT SHIP WAS USS MADDOX DD-622, A NEW DESTROYER. TOM WAS ABOARD HER DURING THE INVASION OF NORTH AFRICA AND FOR MANY MONTHS OF CONVOY DUTY IN THE FRIGID NORTH ATLANTIC. ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF 1943, HE DEBARKED USS MADDOX IN NEW YORK FOR FIRE CONTROL SCHOOL AT WASHINGTON, D.C. ON HER NEXT CRUISE, USS MADDOX WAS SUNK BY A GERMAN DIVE BOMBER DURING THE INVASION OF SICILY. AFTER GRADUATING FROM FIRE CONTROL SCHOOL, TOM RECEIVED ORDERS TO REPORT TO THE NAVY YARD AT PHILADELPHIA AS A MEMBER OF THE PRE-COMMISSIONING CREW OF A NEW LIGHT CRUISER, USS MIAMI CL-89. THE USS MIAMI REPORTED TO THE PACIFIC FLEET EARLY IN 1944. DURING 1944-1945, WHILE ASSIGNED TO TASK FORCE 38 AND TASK FORCE 58, SHE PARTICIPATED IN MANY OF THE MAJOR SEA BATTLES AND INVASIONS IN THE PACIFIC. WHILE SERVING ON USS MIAMI, TOM WAS PROMOTED TO CHIEF PETTY OFFICER.