World War II Honoree

David Reece Godfrey

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Greenville, South Carolina

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED IN THE AMERICAN, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN AND ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATERS ABOARD THE ESCORT DESTROYER USS LOY DE-160 WHICH WAS CONVERTED AND DESIGNATED A HIGH SPEED TRANSPORT SHIP (APD-56). IN 1944, THE USS LOY ENGAGED IN 2 TRANSATLANTIC CONVOY ESCORT VOYAGES AS WELL AS CONVOY ESCORT DUTY FROM NEW YORK TO NORTH AFRICAN PORTS AND FROM BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS TO HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA. ALSO SAILED ON HUNTER-KILLER MISSIONS, SUBMARINE SEARCH PATROLS AND SCREENING DUTIES OFF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA AND IN SHIPPING LANES IN THE ATLANTIC INCLUDING TO THE AZORES AND NORTH AFRICA. AFTER RECLASSIFICATION AND TRAINING, SAILED ABOARD USS LOY APD-56 FROM NEW YORK ON JANUARY 1, 1945 FOR HAWAII VIA THE PANAMA CANAL AND SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. ARRIVED IN HAWAII ON JANUARY 25, 1945 AND SAILED FOR THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS ON FEBRUARY 14, 1945. ARRIVED AT LEYTE GULF ON MARCH 4, 1945 AND BEGAN PREPARING FOR THE INVASION OF OKINAWA. DEPARTED FOR THE RYUKYU ISLANDS ON MARCH 21, 1945 WITH UNDERWATER DEMOLITION TEAM 4 (UDT-4) EMBARKED. WHILE APPROACHING OKINAWA ON MARCH 26, 1945, EXPERIENCED THE FIRST OF MANY ENCOUNTERS WITH JAPANESE KAMIKAZE SUICIDE AIRCRAFT. PRIOR TO THE INVASION OF OKINAWA, CONDUCTED SHORE RECONNAISSANCE OPERATIONS AND SUPPORTED SHORE DEMOLITIONS OPERATIONS WITH UDT-4. ON MARCH 29, 1945, PROVIDED RESCUE AND OTHER ASSISTANCE TO ANOTHER SHIP THAT HAD SUFFERED A KAMIKAZE HIT. SUPPORTED THE INVASION BEGINNING APRIL 1, 1945, DEMOLITION OPERATIONS OFF IE SHIMA ISLAND FROM APRIL 16-23, 1945 AND CONDUCTED ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE PATROLS IN ADJACENT WATERS. HIS SHIP DOWNED 7 KAMIKAZE PLANES AND THEN RENDERED ASSISTANCE AND CARED FOR SURVIVORS OF A TRANSPORT SHIP HIT BY A KAMIKAZE ON MAY 25, 1945. ON MAY 27, 1945 A KAMIKAZE ATTACKING HIS SHIP EXPLODED CLOSE ALONGSIDE, SCATTERED SHRAPNEL OVER THE SHIP, INFLICTING 18 CASUALTIES TO SHIPMATES AND SOME DAMAGE TO THE SHIP. AFTER REPAIRS, CONTINUED OPERATIONS IN PHILIPPINE WATERS AND WAS OPERATING OUT OF LEYTE GULF WHEN JAPAN SURRENDERED AND V-J DAY WAS DECLARED ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945. PARTICIPATED IN ESCORT MISSIONS TO TAKE OCCUPATION FORCES TO JAPAN AFTER THE WAR AND IN 'MAGIC CARPET' DUTY TO RETURN SERVICEMEN TO THE U.S. ARRIVED AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA ON NOVEMBER 11, 1945. CONTINUED IN MILITARY SERVICE WITH THE AIR FORCE RESERVES AFTER THE WAR. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.