World War II Honoree

Charles H. Elwood, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Billerica, Massachusetts

Honored By

Charles B. Church III

JOINED THE U.S. NAVY ON MARCH 3, 1943. ATTENDED BASIC TRAINING IN NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND. SENT TO COMMUNICATIONS SCHOOL. UPON GRADUATION, PROMOTED TO PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS. BASED ON PERFORMANCE IN THIS SCHOOL, CHOSEN TO BE AN INSTRUCTOR THERE FOR 9 MONTHS. ADVANCED TO SIGNALMAN 2ND CLASS AND CONTINUED TEACHING IN SAMPSON, NEW YORK. NEXT, ASSIGNED TO USS SKYLARK AM-63, A MINESWEEPER SHIP IN THE SAN FRANCISCO AREA. AFTER PORT CALLS IN HAWAII AND GUAM, PROCEEDED TO A STAGING AREA NEAR THE PHILIPPINES. THE MISSION WAS TO CLEAR MINES FROM HARBORS AND BEACH APPROACHES, PRIOR TO THE INVASION OF OKINAWA. SOON AN UNSEEN MINE WAS STRUCK BY THE SKYLARK. CREW DONNED LIFE VESTS, THEN HIT ANOTHER MINE. SHIP WAS BURNING AND ALMOST SPLIT IN HALF. HE WAS BLOWN OUT OF HIS SHOES, KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS, AND INTO THE WATER. SUFFERED A SERIOUS LEG INJURY. SMALL SHIPS CAME TO RESCUE SURVIVORS. AFTER TRANSFER TO SEVERAL SHIPS, HE WAS FINALLY SENT BACK TO THE U.S. FOR MEDICAL CARE AND 30 DAYS LEAVE. THEN ASSIGNED TO THE USS ARGONNE AG-31 AND WAS ADVANCED TO THE RANK OF SIGNALMAN FIRST CLASS PETTY OFFICER. AWARDS INCLUDE THE PURPLE HEART, THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL, THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE STAR. THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN APRIL 1946.