World War II Honoree

Garrison Everett 'Garry' Munger, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Enid, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

JOINED THE NEWLY-FORMED NAVY RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS AT OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY IN NORMAN, OKLAHOMA. GRADUATED WITH THE FIRST NAVY V-12 COLLEGE TRAINING PROGRAM CLASS AND WAS ONE OF 3 OFFICERS COMMISSIONED AN ENSIGN ON AUGUST 26, 1943. SERVED 18 MONTHS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER AS A GUNNERY OFFICER ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS HANCOCK CV-19. SAILED FROM THE BOSTON NAVY YARD ON JULY 31, 1944 EN ROUTE PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII VIA THE PANAMA CANAL AND SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS OFF THE RYUKYU ISLANDS, AND AGAINST FORMOSA IN OCTOBER 1944. ON OCTOBER 12, 1944 HIS SHIP REPELLED AN ENEMY AIR RAID, ACCOUNTING FOR 1 PLANE DESTROYED AND OTHERS DRIVEN OFF DURING 7 HOURS OF UNINTERRUPTED ACTION AT GENERAL QUARTERS. THE NEXT DAY BROUGHT ANOTHER ATTACK AND ANOTHER PLANE WAS BROUGHT DOWN. ON THE 3RD DAY THEY WERE ATTACKED BY A HEAVY FORCE OF ENEMY PLANES AND DOWNED ANOTHER AIRCRAFT. TOOK PART IN OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT LANDINGS AT LEYTE AND ENGAGEMENTS AT MANILA AND LUZON IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. ON NOVEMBER 25, 1944 A KAMIKAZE SUICIDE AIRCRAFT ATTACKED AND WAS DESTROYED ALTHOUGH CAUSING SOME DAMAGE TO HIS SHIP. IN EARLY 1945, OPERATED IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, THEN AGAINST JAPAN AND THE HOME ISLANDS AND AT IWO JIMA TO PROVIDE TACTICAL SUPPORT. ON MARCH 20, 1945 HIS SHIP SUFFERED MINOR DAMAGE FROM A KAMIKAZE ATTACK THAT WAS DESTROYED DURING THE ATTACK. ON APRIL 7, 1945, WHILE SUPPORTING ARMY FORCES ON OKINAWA, HIS SHIP WAS HIT BY A KAMIKAZE THAT CARTWHEELED ACROSS THE FLIGHT DECK AND EXPLODED INTO A GROUP OF PARKED PLANES. HE LOST 62 SHIPMATES KILLED AND 71 WOUNDED IN THE ACTION. RECEIVED A COMMENDATION FOR HIS ACTIONS IN COMBAT AFTER HIS SHIP SUSTAINED A DIRECT HIT FROM A KAMIKAZE. HIS SHIP WAS OPERATING IN JAPANESE WATERS WHEN JAPAN CAPITULATED ON AUGUST 15, 1945. ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1945 THE USS HANCOCK ENTERED TOKYO BAY AND SAILED ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1945 ON 'MAGIC CARPET' DUTY TO RETURN SERVICE PERSONNEL TO SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL. HIS SHIP WAS AWARDED THE NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION AND RECEIVED 4 BATTLE STARS FOR SERVICE DURING THE WAR. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946 AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.