World War II Honoree

Everett Leeroy Gardner

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Riverton, Iowa

Honored By

Morgan D. Monroe

Relationship

Cousin

JOINED THE U.S. NAVY IN SEPTEMBER 1940 AT OMAHA, NEBRASKA. SWORN-IN AND TRANSFERRED TO GREAT LAKES NAVAL TRAINING STATION, ILLINOIS FOR 6 WEEKS OF BOOT CAMP. THEN SENT TO MOG-MOG ISLAND, NEW YORK FOR GUNNERY SCHOOL AND THEN TO THE BATTLESHIP USS WYOMING FOR ADVANCE GUNNERY SCHOOL TRAINING. THEN BECAME A MEMBER OF THE CREW ON THE BATTLESHIP USS ARKANSAS. MADE 14 TRIPS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC ESCORTING CONVOYS TO ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, IRELAND, SICILY, NORTH AFRICA, CASABLANCA AND ORAN. SHELLED THE NORMANDY INVASION BEACHHEAD, JUNE 6, 1944. THEN, VIA U.S. PANAMA CANAL AND PEARL HARBOR THEY SHELLED AT THE INVASIONS OF IWO JIMA AND OKINAWA. DEPARTED FROM THE USS ARKANSAS AFTER 5 YEARS ON THAT CREW AND RETURNED BACK TO THE U.S. BY TROOP TRANSPORT ARRIVING SEPTEMBER 1945. TRANSFERRED BY TRAIN TO U.S. NAVY PERSONNEL SEPARATION CENTER IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA WHERE HE WAS GIVEN AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE OCTOBER 2, 1945 AFTER SERVING 5 YEARS ACTIVE DUTY OF WHICH MOST OF THAT TIME WAS ON THE BATTLESHIP USS ARKANSAS. ALSO SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN, ASIATIC-PACIFIC, SOUTH PACIFIC AND AMERICAN CAMPAIGNS.