World War II Honoree

John R. Basting

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Mineral Point, Wisconsin

Honored By

Wendell Ryder

Relationship

Friend

SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN AND PACIFIC THEATRES. ENLISTED IN THE U.S. NAVY OCTOBER 6, 1942. BASIC TRAINING NAVAL TRAINING CENTER IN GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNED TO THE USS OREGON CITY AND PARTICIPATED IN THE SICILY LANDINGS IN THE EUROPEAN THEATRE IN 1943. ASSIGNED TO THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS RANDOLPH IN OCTOBER 1944 AND SERVED IN GUNNERY DIVISION 6. THE USS RANDOLPH PARTICIPATED IN 3 PACIFIC WAR CRUISES WHICH INVOLVED RAIDS ON TOKYO AND IWO JIMA AND SUPPORT OPERATIONS FOR OKINAWA INVASIONS PLUS MANY RAIDS ON THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS. EARNED AMERICAN AREA MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN RIBBON, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATRE MEDAL AND THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION RIBBON. SERVED IN THE U.S. NAVY 3 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS. DISCHARGED AS A SEAMAN 1ST CLASS.