World War II Honoree

Forrest Delmar Chapman

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Tomah, Wisconsin

Honored By

His Family

ENLISTED IN NAVY V-7 PROGRAM AFTER PEARL HARBOR WHICH CONSISTED OF 1 MONTH OF INDOCTRINATION TRAINING AND 3 MONTHS SCHOOLING IN SUBJECTS AS SEAMANSHIP, NAVIGATION, COMMUNICATIONS AND BALLISTICS. ASSIGNED TO NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY FOR INDOCTRINATION AND THEN TO CHICAGO FOR STUDIES AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY. REPORTED FOR DUTY AS MIDSHIPMAN ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1942. COMMISSIONED IN DECEMBER 1942 AND SERVED FROM JANUARY 1941 TO SPRING 1946. IN DECEMBER 1942, WAS ASSIGNED TO AMPHIBIOUS TRAINING AT NORFOLK AND SOLOMONS ISLAND, MARYLAND. SERVED ON LST 35, (LANDING SHIP TANK) IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA; TOOK IT DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI TO NEW ORLEANS UNDER LEND-LEASE PROGRAM. THEN, SERVED ON LST 126 IN EVANSVILLE, ILLINOIS; TOOK IT DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI TO NEW ORLEANS AND FROM THERE THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL TO THE PACIFIC. WEST LOCH, OAHU, HAWAII BASE FOR NEXT 2 YEARS, CARRYING MARINES ONE TIME, ARMY UNITS THE NEXT. WAS GUNNERY OFFICER ON LST 126. SERVED KWAJALEIN IN THE MARSHAL ISLANDS, SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS, LEYTE GULF AND LINGAYEN IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS; (2 INVASIONS) LOST 3 MEN AND WAS CREDITED WITH SHOOTING DOWN 3 JAPANESE PLANES. WAS IN KELSO, ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER, WASHINGTON STATE, LOADING AMMO FOR INVASION OF JAPAN WHEN THE ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED AND JAPAN SURRENDERED. WHEN WAR ENDED WAS ASSIGNED TO OFFICER TERMINATION CENTER, HENRY HUDSON HOTEL, NEW YORK CITY, 57TH ST, INSTEAD OF TAKING OVER A SHIP. SEPARATED OUT IN APRIL OF 1946.