World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
William Walton 'W.W.' Mims
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
Edgefield, South Carolina
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
ENTERED NAVAL SERVICE IN 1943. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AS AN EDITOR FOR A NAVY PUBLICATION IN NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA. LATER SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS RANDOLPH (CV-15). SAILED FROM SAN FRANCISCO ON JANUARY 20, 1945 ON HIS FIRST WAR CRUISE TO ULITHI. WHILE HIS SHIP WAS AT ANCHOR AT ULITHI ON MARCH 11, 1945, SHE WAS ATTACKED BY A JAPANESE 'KAMIKAZE' SUICIDE AIRCRAFT CAUSING DAMAGE TO HIS SHIP AND KILLING 25 SHIPMATES. HIS SHIP WAS PRIMARILY ENGAGED IN AIRCRAFT STRIKES AGAINST JAPAN AND THE HOME ISLANDS UNTIL THE JAPANESE SURRENDER ON AUGUST 15, 1945. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AFTER THE WAR AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.