World War II Honoree

Van Taylor West

Branch of Service

U.S. Merchant Marine

Hometown

Flora, Illinois

Honored By

Howard Lewis Patton

Relationship

Friend

VOLUNTEERED FOR THE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY AND ENTERED BOOT CAMP AT PASS CHRISTIAN, MISSISSIPPI IN SEPTEMBER 1942 AS A DECK CADET. COURSE CONCLUDED WITH SIX MONTHS OF ON THE JOB TRAINING AT SEA ABOARD THE LIBERTY SHIP SS BENJAMIN H. LATROBE, AFTER WHICH HE ENTERED THE ACADEMY AT KING’S POINT, NEW YORK. GRADUATED IN APRIL 1944 WITH A THIRD MATE RATING AND BEGAN SERVICE ABOARD THE LIBERTY SHIP SS LOUIS MCLANE OPERATING ACROSS THE ATLANTIC AND INTO THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. PORTS OF CALL WERE IN ENGLAND, NORTH AFRICA, ITALY AND FRANCE; INCLUDING THE ASSAULT LANDINGS IN SOUTHERN FRANCE IN NOVEMBER OF 1944. SUBSEQUENTLY SERVED AS SECOND MATE/NAVIGATOR ABOARD THE LIBERTY SHIP SS JOHN FAIRFIELD, CHIEF MATE ABOARD THE LIBERTY SHIP SS THOMAS JEFFERSON, AND SECOND MATE/NAVIGATOR ABOARD THE C-2 CARGO/PASSENGER SHIP SS TOPA TOPA (ON VOYAGES IN THE PACIFIC THEATER TO THE ORIENT AFTER THE JAPANESE SURRENDER). EARNED THE MERCHANT MARINE’S ATLANTIC WAR ZONE MEDAL, MEDITERRANEAN-MIDDLE EAST WAR ZONE MEDAL, PACIFIC WAR ZONE MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND COMBAT BAR WITH MULTIPLE STARS. BY CONGRESSIONAL ACTION IN 1988, GRANTED VETERAN STATUS BY AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE FROM THE COAST GUARD AS A SHIP'S OFFICER EFFECTIVE AUGUST 15, 1945.