World War II Honoree

Paul Woodrow Neidhardt

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Cleveland, Ohio

Honored By

Gary W. Neidhardt

Relationship

Son

ENTERED THE U.S. NAVAL RESERVE SUMMER OF 1942. BECAME AN OFFICER OF PATROL CRAFT PC-1172 FROM ITS COMMISSIONING ON OCTOBER 6, 1943 IN STURGEON BAY, WISCONSIN. TRAVELED WITH PC-1172 DOWN MISSISSIPPI. PREDOMINANT ACTIVITY WAS SHORE PATROL AND CONVOY ESCORT IN THE GULF AND ATLANTIC. MADE NUMEROUS ROUND TRIPS TO NORFOLK, VIRGINIA AND GUANTANAMO, CUBA. WAS TRANSFERRED TO PC-814 AND PRESENT WHEN SHIP WAS COMMISSIONED IN PORTLAND, OREGON ON JUNE 5, 1945. WAS EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF PC-814. INTENDED TO BE PART OF THE NAVAL FORCE THAT WAS BEING FORMED TO SUPPORT THE INVASION OF JAPAN. WAS IN HONOLULU AT V-J DAY. PROCEEDED TO OKINAWA. ON OCTOBER 10, 1945 A TYPHOON STRUCK AND SEVERELY DAMAGED U.S. NAVAL FORCES THERE, INCLUDING THE LOSS OF HIS SHIP. DISCHARGED LATE NOVEMBER 1945.