World War II Honoree

Merlin Clyde Ferris

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Huntington, West Virginia

Honored By

Candi & Gary Bagwell

Relationship

Daughter & Son-in-law

FLEET RADIO UNIT IN THE PACIFIC. STATIONED ON GUAM AS A RADIO CODE INTERCEPTOR, LISTENING TO JAPANESE MESSAGES. HE WAS SELECTED AS A SPECIAL RADIO TEAM TO LEARN THE SOUNDS OF THE JAPANESE LANGUAGE. HE WOULD THEN TYPE ON A TYPEWRITER HAVING KEYS CORRESPONDING TO THE SOUNDS HE HEARD. WHICH IN TURN WAS SENT UP THE LINE TO PROPER AUTHORITIES. THE MEN IN THESE SPECIAL UNITS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR BREAKING THE JAPANESE RADIO CODES AND HELPED TO END THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC.