World War II Honoree

Charles L. Barney

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Shreveport, Louisiana

Honored By

Jerry D. Barney

Relationship

Son

SERVED AS COXSWAIN IN CHARGE OF LANDING CRAFT IN OKINAWA. ALSO SERVED ABOARD THE USS OTTAWA AKA-101. LATER LEARNED THAT MORE THAN 50% OF THE MARINES LANDING AT OKINAWA WERE EITHER WOUNDED OR KILLED. ALSO PROTECTED U.S. SHIPS FROM KAMIKAZE ATTACKS BY MAKING HUGE COLUMNS OF SMOTE FROM THE LANDING CRAFT UPWIND OF THE SHIPS, COVERING THE FLEET WITH SMOKE. AS A RESULT, MANY OF THE KAMIKAZE PLANES CRASHED INTO THE OCEAN.