World War II Honoree

C. Homer Bast

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Easton, Maryland

Honored By

S. White Rhyne

Relationship

Friend

ENTERED NAVY’S MIDSHIPMAN’S SCHOOL ON THE USS PRAIRIE STATE IN NEW YORK. COMMISSIONED AS AN ENSIGN IN JANUARY 1942. SERVED ABOARD THE USS PC-571 IN ALASKA AND THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS UNTIL NOVEMBER 1943 FROM APRIL 1944 TO NOVEMBER 1945. SERVED AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE USS YOLO APB-43 IN THE PACIFIC, INCLUDING 89 DAYS DEPLOYMENT OF THE VESSEL AS A SUPPLY SHIP IN THE BATTLE OF OKINAWA UNDER FREQUENT ENEMY FIRE, BOMBS AND KAMIKAZE RAIDS. FIVE MONTHS DUTY IN YOKOHAMA AFTER END OF THE WAR. PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT COMMANDER AND SERVED AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF SURFACE DIVISION 5-21 IN ROANOKE, VIRGINIA.