World War II Honoree

Allen Curtis Eastland

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Cambridge, Illinois

Honored By

Daughter

PHARMACIST'S MATE 2ND CLASS. X-RAY TECHNICIAN. SERVED ABOARD THE USS SAMARITAN AH-10 IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC FROM SAIPAN, TINIAN, OKINAWA, IWO JIMA AND OCCUPIED JAPAN. SANG IN THE RETAINED CHOIR AT GREAT LAKES. IN 1942, PERFORMED SOLO 'THROUGH THE YEARS' ON NATIONAL WAR STATION WGN, BROADCAST NATIONALLY AND OVERSEAS TO THE TROOPS. DIRECTED CHOIR ABOARD SAMARITAN INCLUDING PROTESTANT, CATHOLIC AND JEWISH SAILORS, PERFORMING IN PROTESTANT SERVICES ABOARD SHIP. CREATED MUSICAL SHOWS TO ENTERTAIN OTHER SHIPS AND ISLAND BASES. IN OCCUPIED SASEBO, JAPAN GAINED INSIGHT TO BECOME MINISTER, AFTER VIEWING JAPANESE MOTHER SELLING HER BELONGINGS IN BOMBED OUT STREETS. THIS 'MOTHER OF ALL HUMANITY' WAS IMPETUS TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.