World War II Honoree

George Van Odell

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Alanreed, Texas

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

LEFT HIGH SCHOOL IN HIS JUNIOR YEAR TO JOIN THE NAVY. TRAINED AS A FIRE CONTROL TECHNICIAN IN CHARGE OF AIMING AND FIRING A QUAD-40MM GUN. SERVED INITIALLY IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER ABOARD THE DESTROYER USS GENTRY DE-349. FROM OCTOBER 6, 1944 TO DECEMBER 23, 1944, MADE 2 ROUND-TRIP CONVOY ESCORT VOYAGES FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION TO MARSEILLES, FRANCE AND ORAN, ALGERIA PROTECTING TROOP SHIPS. ON RETURN TRIPS, TRANSPORTED GERMAN AND ITALIAN PRISONERS OF WAR TO THE U.S. FOR IMPRISONMENT. SAILED FROM NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT ON JANUARY 9, 1945 TO ESCORT SUBMARINES TO KEY WEST, FLORIDA EN ROUTE TO THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER. CONTINUED THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL AND TO THE WESTERN PACIFIC ARRIVING AT MANUS IN THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS ON FEBRUARY 20, 1945. FOR THE NEXT 4 MONTHS ESCORTED CONVOYS BETWEEN NEW GUINEA AND THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS IN SUPPORT OF THE INVASION OF THE PHILIPPINES. SAILED THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINE ARCHIPELAGO AND FROM MANILA BAY AND LEYTE GULF TO THE PALAU ISLANDS AND THE WESTERN CAROLINE ISLANDS. IN JULY 1945 ESCORTED A CONVOY TO OKINAWA AND THEN SERVED ON PICKET DUTY FOR MOST OF THE MONTH. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AFTER THE WAR AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.