World War II Honoree

William I. Halloran

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Cleveland, Ohio

Honored By

Agnes Sweeney

Relationship

College Friend

JOURNALIST WHO WAS CLEVELAND'S FIRST WWII CASUALTY. HE WAS RAISED ON CLEVELAND'S WEST SIDE. OHIO STATE GRADUATE IN JOURNALISM 1938. HE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN WORK AS A UPI REPORTER WITH THE COLUMBUS CITIZEN NEWSPAPER. JOINED THE U.S. NAVAL RESERVE IN 1940 AND RECEIVED AN ENSIGN'S COMMISSION JUNE 1941. REPORTED FOR DUTY ABOARD USS ARIZONA BB-39. PERISHED ON DECEMBER 7, 1941 DURING THE SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR. BECAME A SYMBOL OF AMERICA'S LOSS AT PEARL HARBOR. HUNDREDS ATTENDED A MEMORIAL SERVICE AT ST. IGNATIUS CHURCH. THE USS HALLORAN DE-305 WAS LAUNCHED IN 1944 AND IN 1945 A CLEVELAND CITY PARK WAS NAMED IN HIS HONOR. HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.