World War II Honoree

Arthur H. Edwards

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Whittier, California

Honored By

Lynn E. Terashita

Relationship

Daughter

SPRING 1942. APPLIED FOR COMMISSION TO U.S. NAVAL RESERVES. INTERVIEWED IN SAN PEDRO MAY 5, 1942. APPOINTED ENSIGN, U.S. NAVAL RESERVE. JUNE 1, 1942 REPORTED FOR ACTIVE DUTY, SAN PEDRO SECTION BASE, WESTERN SEA FRONTIER. JOINT ARMY-NAVY OPERATION AT FORT MACARTHUR, THE HARBOR ENTRANCE CONTROL POST, WHOSE MISSION IT WAS TO KEEP TRACK OF SHIPPING COMING IN AND OUT OF LOS ANGELES HARBOR (INCLUDING SUBMARINE NETS, OPEN FOR SHIPPING, CLOSED OTHERWISE). ASSIGNED TO LOS ANGELES INFORMATION CENTER TO KEEP TRACK OF AND IDENTIFY AIR FLIGHTS, COORDINATING BETWEEN ARMY AIR CORPS AND NAVY. MARCH 1, 1943 REPORTED TO TUCSON, ARIZONA FOR OFFICER’S TRAINING. MAY 1, 1943 PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE. AUGUST 1943 PORT HUENEME, ASSISTANT TO COMMANDER, SAN PEDRO SECTION, PORT HUENEME AREA. ASSIGNED PATROL BOATS TO ESCORT SUB-CHASERS AND MINESWEEPERS LEAVING PORT HUENEME (SEABEE BASE). ALSO ASSIGNED TO GATES (NETS) CONTROL. FEBRUARY 1944 ATTENDED RADIO MATERIAL SCHOOL, NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY, WASHINGTON, D.C., TO STUDY RADIO AND RADAR COUNTERMEASURES. WAS TRAINED ON SPECIALIZED ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT WHICH WAS DEVELOPED THERE TO JAM RADIO SIGNALS. MAY 1944 NORFOLK, VIRGINIA TEMPORARY DUTY ON USS TULAGI TO SAIL OVERSEAS (AFRICA). TRANSPORTED TO CASABLANCA, THEN VIA TRAIN TO ORAN. JUNE 1944 REPORT TO MINESWEEPER USS SEER (IN NAPLES, ITALY). GERMANS HAD DEVELOPED RADIO CONTROLLED BOMBS AND HIS TEAM WAS LOOKING TO DETECT RADIO SIGNALS AND JAM THEM. HE ALSO WORKED IN COMMUNICATIONS. JULY 19, 1944 PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT. SEPTEMBER 10, 1944 USS SEER HIT A MINE. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO A DESTROYER, THEN STITCHED UP ON A HOSPITAL SHIP. ENDED UP IN AN ARMY HOSPITAL IN NAPLES. OCTOBER 1944 ORDERED FROM NAPLES TO PALERMO, SICILY. MET USS SEER AT PALERMO WHERE IT HAD BEEN TOWED. RECEIVED ORDERS TO RETURN TO U.S. NOVEMBER 29, 1944 AWARDED PURPLE HEART. DECEMBER 1944 IN WASHINGTON, D.C., TO ATTEND BRUSH-UP TRAINING IN COUNTER MEASURES. MARCH 1945 REPORTED TO THE USS VAMMEN IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. IN THE EVENT THAT THE GERMANS HAD GIVEN THE JAPANESE INFORMATION ON RADIO CONTROLLED BOMBS, HIS TEAM WAS LOOKING TO DETECT RADIO SIGNALS. AGAIN, HE ALSO WORKED ON COMMUNICATIONS. APRIL 1, 1945 INVADED OKINAWA. OCTOBER 1945 REPORTED TO JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA ASSIGNED TO ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GEORGIA. ASSIGNED TO COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF NAVAL AIR STATION THERE. FEBRUARY 1946 RELEASED TO INACTIVE DUTY AS A QUALIFIED COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST, COUNTER MEASURES. MEDALS AND AWARDS AT TIME OF RELEASE: PURPLE HEART, AMERICAN AREA, ASIATIC-PACIFIC AREA (1 STAR) WWII VICTORY MEDAL, MEDITERRANEAN AREA (1 STAR).