World War II Honoree

Charles Bernard Fair

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Lubbock, Texas

Honored By

Edward W. Samuell, Jr.

Relationship

Friend

ENLISTED IN THE U.S. NAVY ON AUGUST 15, 1942 BUT WAS DELAYED BY THE NAVY TO ENABLE HIM TO COMPLETE HIS ENGINEERING DEGREE AT TEXAS TECH IN LUBBOCK, TEXAS. THIS DEGREE QUALIFIED HIM FOR A COMMISSION AND HE BECAME AN ENSIGN ON FEBRUARY 14, 1943. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THAT YEAR HE UNDERWENT EXTENSIVE TRAINING TO INCLUDE MIDSHIPMAN SCHOOL AND STEAM ENGINEERING IN NEW YORK, THE CORNELL NAVY DIESEL SCHOOL IN ITHACA, NEW YORK AND THE MINE WARFARE SCHOOL. AFTER THIS SCHOOLING HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE MINESWEEPER USS YMS-378 IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER AS ITS ENGINEERING OFFICER WITH THE ADDITIONAL DUTY OF WELFARE AND RECREATION. IN THIS CAPACITY, HE PARTICIPATED IN THE LANDING AT UTAH BEACH ON THE NORMANDY COAST BEGINNING AT H-8 HOURS, BY CLEARING MINES FOR THE LANDING CRAFT. HIS SHIP CONTINUED CLEARING MINES ALONG THE FRENCH COAST UNTIL JULY 30, 1944 WHEN IT HIT A MINE BLOWING HIM INTO THE WATERS OF THE ENGLISH CHANNEL. HE WAS RESCUED BY A SISTER SHIP, THE USS YMS-381. THE USS YMS-378 WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR BY THE MINE BUT ITS HULL WAS TOWED TO A BRITISH PORT. THIS ENDED HIS CAREER IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER AND HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE PACIFIC FOR SERVICE ABOARD THE MINELAYER USS BARBICAN ACM-5. THE USS BARBICAN WITH HIM ABOARD AS ITS ENGINEERING OFFICER, ARRIVED IN THE PACIFIC TOO LATE TO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN COMBAT AGAINST THE JAPANESE. DEPARTING PEARL HARBOR AUGUST 17, 1945 THE SHIP ARRIVED AT SAIPAN SEPTEMBER 20, 1945 AFTER A BRIEF STOP AT MIDWAY. FOR 1 MONTH SHE OPERATED BETWEEN THE MARIANA ISLANDS AND RYUKYU ISLANDS AS A TENDER AND OPERATIONAL HEADQUARTERS FOR A YMS SQUADRON. ON OCTOBER 24, 1945 WITH HIM, NOW ITS SKIPPER, THE SHIP DEPARTED OKINAWA FOR SASEBO, JAPAN REMAINING ON OCCUPATION DUTY IN THE FAR EAST UNTIL FEBRUARY 24, 1946. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM ACTIVE DUTY ON MAY 3, 1946.