World War II Honoree

Paul Aloysious Herman

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Bellevue, Ohio

Honored By

Victor Anthony Herman

Relationship

Brother

USS WADSWORTH DD-516, NAVY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH STAR, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 7 STARS, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION RIBBON WITH STAR, THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION READS: 'FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION AS A FIGHTER DIRECTOR SHIP ON A RADAR PICKET STATION DURING THE OKINAWA CAMPAIGN, APRIL 17 TO JUNE 24, 1945. A NATURAL AND FREQUENT TARGET FOR HEAVY JAPANESE AERIAL ATTACK WHILE OCCUPYING ADVANCED AND ISOLATED STATIONS, THE USS WADSWORTH DEFEATED ALL EFFORTS OF ENEMY KAMIKAZE AND DIVE-BOMBING PLANES TO DESTROY HER. CONSTANTLY VIGILANT AND READY FOR BATTLE, SHE SENT OUT EARLY AIR WARNINGS, PROVIDED FIGHTER DIRECTION AND, WITH HER OWN GUNFIRE, DOWNED SIX ENEMY PLANES, SHARED IN THE DESTRUCTION OF (7) OTHERS, ROUTED MANY MORE, AND RENDERED VALIANT SERVICE IN PREVENTING THE JAPANESE FROM STRIKING IN FORCE AGAINST OUR NAVAL FORCES OFF THE OKINAWA BEACHHEAD. A GALLANT, FIGHTING SHIP, THE WADSWORTH, HER OFFICERS, AND HER MEN WITHSTOOD THE STRESS AND TEAMWORK, COURAGE AND SKILL OF HER ENTIRE COMPANY AND ENHANCES THE FINEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.' DURING THIS 68 DAY PERIOD, THE USS WADSWORTH DD-516 MUSTERED FOR 203 GENERAL QUARTERS. FOR SEVERAL DAYS SHE WAS LISTED AS MISSING IN ACTION WHEN AERIAL ATTACK DISABLED IT’S COMMUNICATIONS, YET SHE REMAINED ON STATION TO DECOY PLANES AWAY FROM OTHER RADAR PICKET SHIPS.