World War II Honoree

Marvin Beauregard Barefoot

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Nuyaka, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE WITH THE OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD. LATER ENLISTED IN THE NAVY AND BEGAN HIS CAREER ABOARD THE LIGHT CRUISER USS MEMPHIS (CL-13) THAT OPERATED PRIMARILY IN THE SOUTH ALANTIC OCEAN AREA. APPLIED FOR PILOT TRAINING, WAS SELECTED AND AFTER GRADUATION FROM FLYING TRAINING, WAS COMMISSIONED AN ENSIGN AND AWARDED HIS GOLD NAVAL AVIATOR WINGS. SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER AND FLEW OVER 50 MISSIONS DURING THE WAR. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. CONTINUED IN U.S. NAVY SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF COMMANDER.