World War II Honoree

Robert Lewis Eley

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

St. Johnsbury, Vermont

Honored By

Robert L. Eley

Relationship

Self

JOINED THE U.S. NAVY IN MONTPELIER, VERMONT. ATTENDED BOOT CAMP TRAINING IN SAMPSON, NEW YORK. SERVED TIME AT THE NORFOLK, VIRGINIA NAVAL AIR STATION WHILE AWAITING ASSIGNMENT FOR TRAINING ABOARD USS CHARGER, CVE 30, AS AN AIR DALE. TRANSFERRED TO NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND FOR PRE-COMMISSIONING OF THE ESSEX-CLASS CARRIER, USS RANDOLPH CV 15. OCTOBER 1944 BOARDED USS RANDOLPH FOR COMMISSIONING AT NEWPORT NEWS, VA. THE SHIP LEFT FOR THE SOUTH PACIFIC AND WAS HIT BY A JAPANESE KAMIKAZE ON MARCH 11, 1945. THE JASON REPAIR SHIP WAS BROUGHT ALONGSIDE FOR THE REPAIR OF THE AFT-END OF SHIP, WHICH BURNED LIKE HELL. THE RANDOLPH EARNED 3 BATTLE STARS FOR WWII SERVICE THAT INCLUDED, IWO JIMA, OKINAWA AND LEYTHE GULF LIBERATION TOURS. THE SHIP WAS BOARDED BY ADM. MARC MITCHER, AFTER HIS THIRD COMMAND CARRIER HAD KAMIKAZE ENCOUNTERS. THE RANDOLPH TOOK HIM TO GUAM AND THE RELEASE OF TASK FORCE 58 COMMAND. WE THEN BECAME TASK FORCE 38, UNDER ADM. BULL HALSEY AND WENT TO THE LEYTHE GULF TO ASSIST IN THE PHILIPINE LIBERATION, BEFORE RETURNING TO ASSIST IN BATTLES FOR TOKYO AND THE FINAL 'SETTING OF THE RISING SUN' BY THE 'ENOLA GAY', USING THE ATOMOIC BOMBS. WE RETURNED TO THE EAST COAST, AND BALTIMORE, MD, FOR THE NAVY DAY CELEBRATION IN OCTOBER 1945. RATINGS HELD: SEAMAN, FIRST CLASS VESSELS STATIONS SERVED ON: NTS SAMPSON NY, USS CHARGER, CISU 21, NTS NEWPORT RI, USS RANDOLPH CV 15 AND PSC LIDO BEACH, LI, NY