World War II Honoree

William E. Weyhmueller

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Hammond, Indiana

Honored By

William F. Weyhmueller

Relationship

Son

ON JULY 15, 1943, AT AGE 17, HE ENLISTED SPENDING BOOT CAMP AT GREAT LAKES. HE LEARNED WALLS WERE BULKHEADS, CEILINGS WERE OVERHEADS AND TOILETS WERE HEADS. ASSIGNED TO HOSPITAL CORPS SCHOOL HE TRAINED AS A PHARMACISTS MATE (CORPSMAN). HE DID HOSPITAL DUTY IN NEW ORLEANS AND CAMP WALLACE, TEXAS. IN DECEMBER 1944, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE USS GOSSELIN APD-126. HIS JOURNAL SAYS HE WAS, 'THRILLED WITH HIS FIRST SIGHT OF THE USS GOSSELIN AND WONDERED WHAT ADVENTURES IT WAS GOING TO CARRY HIM ON.' ON APRIL 6, 1945, THE 'GOOSE' JOINED THE BATTLE OF OKINAWA AND WAS ASSIGNED TO PICKET DUTY IN 'KILLERS LANE' SCREENING THE FLEET. THE USS GOSSELIN WAS CREDITED WITH DOWNING 3 KAMIKAZES, SINKING A SUBMARINE AND RESCUING SURVIVORS FROM THE USS BATES. HE SPENT LONG HOURS TENDING SICK, WOUNDED AND DYING MEN. MANY NIGHTS WERE AT GENERAL QUARTERS. HIS JOURNAL NOTES, 'THEY ALWAYS COME WITH THE MOON RISE BUT LEAVE BEFORE SUNRISE.' THE USS GOSSELIN SURVIVED DAILY ATTACKS AS MANY AS 48 A NIGHT. THE SHIP NEXT HEADED FOR JAPAN BEING THE FIRST INTO JAPANESE IMPERIAL WATERS AND 4TH TO ANCHOR IN TOKYO HARBOR. AS ONE OF THE FIRST AMERICANS INTO TOKYO, HE ACCOMPANIED COMMANDER HAROLD STASSON TO LIBERATE PRISONERS OF WAR FROM THE OMORI AND SHINAGAWA CAMPS; THE PRISONERS WERE ALL IN POOR HEALTH, SKIN AND BONES. HE REMAINED PART OF THE OCCUPATION FORCE UNTIL DECEMBER, 1945 WHEN THE USS GOSSELIN HEADED BACK TO PEARL HARBOR. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN MARCH 1946.