World War II Honoree

Aaron Whitlock

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Sallisaw, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE LIGHT CRUISER USS ST. LOUIS (CL-49). HE WAS ABOARD SHIP WHICH WAS MOORED TO THE PIER IN SOUTHEAST LOCK IN THE PEARL HARBOR NAVY YARD IN HAWAII FOR UPKEEP. ON DECEMBER 7, 1941 AT ABOUT 0756 HOURS, HE WAS THE MARINE CORPS CORPORAL DETAILED TO RAISE THE AMERICAN FLAG ON THE SHIP. HE SAW THE JAPANESE PLANES BEGIN THEIR ATTACK AND WITHIN MINUTES WAS PART OF THE CREW THAT WAS AT GENERAL QUARTERS AND FIRING AT THE ATTACKERS. HIS SHIP WAS CREDITED WITH SHOOTING DOWN 3 ENEMY TORPEDO AIRCRAFT WHILE PREPARING TO GET UNDERWAY. AT ABOUT 0930 HOURS, HIS SHIP LEFT THE PIER AND HEADED FOR SOUTH CHANNEL AND THE OPEN SEA. AT THE CHANNEL ENTRANCE, THE ST. LOUIS WAS FIRED ON BY A JAPANESE MIDGET SUBMARINE. THE TORPEDOES STRUCK A SHOAL AND HIS SHIP ESCAPED THE HARBOR AREA AND CONTINUED OUT TO SEA WHERE SHE JOINED IN THE SEARCH FOR THE JAPANESE FLEET. HE WAS A PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR AND HIS SHIP SURVIVED THE BATTLE UNDAMAGED. LATER PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS IN THE MARSHALL AND GILBERT ISLANDS, AT MIDWAY ISLAND, IN THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS AT KISKA AND ADAK; SOLOMON ISLANDS IN THE 'SLOT', AT NEW GEORGIA, KULA GULF, KOLOMBANGARA, BOUGAINVILLE, AND BUKA; MARIANA ISLANDS AT SAIPAN AND GUAM; PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AT LEYTE GULF AND IN THE SURIGAO STRAIT; IN THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS, AND RYUKYU ISLANDS AT OKINAWA. HIS SHIP WAS STRUCK BY A TORPEDO ON JULY 13, 1943 DURING THE BATTLE OF KOLOMBANGARA THAT DAMAGED THE BOW BUT CAUSED NO SERIOUS CASUALTIES. ON FEBRUARY 14, 1944, ST. LOUIS WAS ATTACKED BY JAPANESE BOMBER AIRCRAFT WHILE OPERATING OFF BUKA IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. A BOMB EXPLODED AMIDSHIPS, KILLED 23 AND WOUNDED 20, STARTED FIRES AND DAMAGED COMMUNICATIONS AND OTHER SYSTEMS. ON NOVEMBER 27, 1944, WHILE OPERATING AT LEYTE GULF AND IN THE SURIGAO STRAIT, HIS SHIP WAS ATTACKED BY WAVES OF ENEMY 'KAMIKAZE' SUICIDE PLANES AND STRUCK TWICE. THE EXPLOSIONS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, STARTED FIRES, CAUSED THE VESSEL TO LIST AND KILLED 15, SERIOUSLY WOUNDED 21, WOUNDED 22 OTHERS AND 1 MAN WAS MISSING. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.