World War II Honoree

John Barr Colwell

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Pawnee City, Nebraska

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

GRADUATED FROM THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY IN 1931. AFTER FIVE TOURS OF DUTY ABOARD BATTLESHIPS AND DESTROYERS, HE HAD TWO YEARS OF TRAINING IN ORDNANCE ENGINEERING. SERVED ON THE STAFF OF ADMIRAL WILLIAM 'BULL' HALSEY IN THE PACIFIC. ALSO COMMANDED THE USS CONVERSE, WHICH WAS PART OF THE FAMED DESTROYER SQUADRON KNOWN AS THE 'LITTLE BEAVERS.' THE SQUADRON SANK FOUR JAPANESE DESTROYERS AND DAMAGED TWO OTHERS WITHOUT LOSING A SINGLE VESSEL. THE SQUADRON WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION.