World War II Honoree

Norman J. Duncan

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Gaylord, Michigan

Honored By

Joe Arsena

Relationship

Baseball Fan

MINOR LEAGUE INFIELDER. SERVED ON BOARD THE ESCORT DESTROYER USS WHITEHURST DE-634 AS AN ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE OFFICER. THE WHITEHURST WAS PUT TO SEA IN NOVEMBER 1943 AND PERFORMED A VARIETY OF ESCORT DUTIES IN THE PACIFIC. AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL 1945, THE WHITEHURST WAS INVOLVED IN VITAL SCREENING DUTIES OFF THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF OKINAWA. ON APRIL 12, 1945, FOUR JAPANESE 'VAL' DIVE-BOMBERS APPROACHED FROM THE SOUTH. ONE DIVE-BOMBER DETACHED ITSELF FROM THE GROUP AND HEADED FOR THE WHITEHURST IN A KAMIKAZE ATTACK. IT CIRCLED AND CRASHED INTO THE SHIP'S FORWARD SUPERSTRUCTURE, PENETRATING THE BULKHEADS AND STARTING FIRES THAT ENVELOPED THE ENTIRE BRIDGE. HIS BATTLE STATION WAS THE SONAR SHACK WHICH WAS A VERY SMALL COMPARTMENT ON THE FACE OF THE SHIP'S SUPERSTRUCTURE, JUST FORWARD OF THE BRIDGE. THE DIVE-BOMBER PASSED THROUGH THE COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER AND THE PILOT HOUSE WHICH WAS DIRECTLY BELOW THE SONAR SHACK. IT IS NOT KNOWN WHETHER DUNCAN WAS KILLED AT THIS TIME OR JUMPED OVERBOARD TO ESCAPE THE INFERNO, BUT HIS WAS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED. HE IS MEMORIALIZED AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY AT FORT BONIFACIO IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART.