World War II Honoree

Harold David White

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Bowling Green, Kentucky

Honored By

Dr. Glenn Edward White

Relationship

Son

'WHIZ' JOINED THE U.S. NAVY ON MAY 1, 1940. AFTER BOOT CAMP AT GREAT LAKES, HE WAS SENT TO HAWAII. ORIGINALLY, HE WAS GOING TO BE STATIONED ON THE USS ARIZONA BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE FOOD WAS BETTER ON THE USS TENNESSEE SO HE REQUESTED THAT SHIP. HE WAS STATIONED ON THE USS TENNESSEE BB-43 IN 1940. HE SERVED IN THE GUN ROOM OF TURRET 2 WHERE HIS RESPONSIBILITY WAS TO LOAD THE 14 INCH GUN. HE PUT THE CHARGE IN BEHIND THE PROJECTILE AND HE SAID IT WAS DANGEROUS WORK BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF A SPARK FROM THE PREVIOUS ROUND IGNITING THE POWDER. HE WAS TOPSIDE WHEN THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR STARTED. HE WAS STATIONED ON THE USS TENNESSEE FROM 1940 TO 1947 AND SAW ACTION IN THE FOLLOWING COMBAT OPERATIONS: PEARL HARBOR DECEMBER 7, 1941, BERING SEA JUNE 9 TO AUGUST 24, 1943, KISKA AUGUST 2 AND 15, 1943, TARAWA NOVEMBER 19 TO DECEMBER 3, 1943, KWAJALEIN JANUARY 31 TO FEBRUARY 5, 1944, ENIWETOK FEBRUARY 17 TO 22, 1944, KAVIENG MARCH 20, 1944, SAIPAN JUNE 14 TO 22, 1944, GUAM JULY 19 TO 21, 1944, TINIAN JULY 23 TO AUGUST 7, 1944, ANGUAR SEPTEMBER 12 TO 20, 1944, LEYTE OCTOBER 17 TO 29, 1944, SURIGAO STRAIT OCTOBER 24 TO 25, 1944, IWO JIMA FEBRUARY 16 TO MARCH 7, 1945, OKINAWA MARCH 26 TO MAY 3, JUNE 10 TO 23, AUGUST 8 TO SEPTEMBER 2, 1945 AND IN THE EAST CHINA SEA JULY 4 TO AUGUST 7, 1945. THE USS TENNESSEE WAS PART OF ADMIRAL OLDENDORF'S FAMOUS BATTLESHIP LINE AT SURIGAO STRAIT. AT OKINAWA, SHE CAME UNDER KAMIKAZE ATTACK AND TOOK A KAMIKAZE HIT ON APRIL 12, 1945. THE USS TENNESSEE'S PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY WAS BOMBARDMENT IN SUPPORT OF ALL PHASES OF AMPHIBIOUS AND GROUND OPERATIONS. THE USS TENNESSEE EARNED 10 BATTLE STARS AND WAS 1 OF ONLY 2 BATTLESHIPS TO EARN A NAVAL UNIT CITATION FOR HER WORK DURING WWII. HE WAS THERE FOR IT ALL FROM PEARL HARBOR TO THE END OF THE WAR.