World War II Honoree

Wilford Beltran 'Dude' Gatewood

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Hammond, Indiana

Honored By

William B. Gatewood

Relationship

Son

ENLISTED AND ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE AS AN APPRENTICE SEAMAN ON 30 MAY 1943. COMPLETED 10 WEEKS OF TRAINING AT NAVAL TRAINING CENTER, GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS AND ASSIGNED TO NAVAL AIR STATION, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. RE-ASSIGNED AND SERVED AS A TORPEDOMAN ABOARD THE DESTROYER USS HALL (DD-583) WHEN SHE ENTERED THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS IN EARLY 1944. PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION AND CAPTURE OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS, MARIANA ISLANDS, PALAU ISLAND, THE WESTERN CAROLINE ISLANDS, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, IWO JIMA AND OKINAWA. EARNED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON (RETROACTIVE AWARD), THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BRONZE BATTLE STARS, THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE STAR. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A SEAMAN 1ST CLASS ON 5 MARCH 1946 AT THE NAVAL PERSONNEL SEPARATION CENTER, CAMP SHOEMAKER, CALIFORNIA.