World War II Honoree

Paul Dale Ellis

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN THE MARINES IN NOVEMBER 1939. ASSIGNED ABOARD THE BATTLESHIP USS WEST VIRGINIA BB-48 AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON DECEMBER 7, 1941 WHEN THE JAPANESE ATTACKED. HIS SHIP TOOK 7 TORPEDOES INTO THE PORTSIDE AND 2 ARMOR-PIERCING BOMBS STRUCK AND PENETRATED TOPSIDE. ALTHOUGH WOUNDED, HE SURVIVED THE FIRES AND EXPLODING AMMUNITION ON BOARD THE SHIP AND ABANDONED THE 'WEE VEE' BEFORE IT SANK. PARTICIPATED IN THE LANDINGS ON GUADALCANAL, BOUGAINVILLE, ENIWETOK AND GUAM. SEVERELY WOUNDED DURING THE INITIAL LANDINGS ON GUAM IN JULY 1944 AND EVACUATED TO SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA NAVAL HOSPITAL. AFTER RECUPERATING, WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN LATE 1944.