World War II Honoree

Rockwell Purdy

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Honored By

Rebecca Schmitt

Relationship

Daughter

SERVED IN THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC THEATRES. PARTICIPATED IN THE CAPTURE OF THE U-505. SERVED AS THE OFFICER AT WATCH ON THE USS GUADALCANAL AN ESCORT CARRIER OFF THE NORTHWEST COAST OF AFRICA ON JUNE 4, 1944. IT WAS DURING HIS WATCH THAT THE GERMAN U BOAT, THE U-505 WAS SITED AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAPTURED. AT THE TIME OF ITS CAPTURE THIS WAS THE ONLY WARSHIP CAPTURED ON THE HIGH SEAS SINCE THE WAR OF 1812. CAPTURED WITH THE U-505 WERE SECRET CODES, THE ENIGMA, WHICH GREATLY AIDED THE WART EFFORT. HE WAS LATER TRANSFERRED TO THE USS ATLANTA IN THE PACIFIC THEATRE AND WAS SERVING OFF THE COAST OF THE HOME ISLANDS OF JAPAN DURING THE ASSAULTS ON HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN NOVEMBER 1945.