World War II Honoree

Woodrow Wilson Cecil

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Durham, Oklahoma

Relationship

Self

JOINED THE U.S. NAVY JANUARY 7TH, 1938. AFTER COMPLETING BASIC TRAINING IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER, USS LEXINGTON. AFTER SERVING FOR 20 MONTHS ABOARD THE LEXINGTON, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE USS NEVILLE, A TROOP CARRIER. WHEN THE U.S. ENTERED WWII, THE NEVILLE STEAMED TO WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND WITH A LOAD OF TROOPS. WHILE IN NEW ZEALAND, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE USS ALCHIBA, A CARGO SHIP. THE SHIP’S MISSION WAS TRANSFERRING TROOPS AND CARGO TO GUADALCANAL. ON NOVEMBER 7TH, 1942, WHILE THE SHIP WAS AT ANCHOR UNLOADING CARGO AND AMMUNITION IN GUADALCANAL, TWO JAPANESE TORPEDOES HIT THE SHIP. THE ALCHIBA LIMPED BACK TO MARE ISLAND IN CALIFORNIA FOR REPAIRS. DURING THIS PERIOD, HE MADE CHIEF MOTOR MACHINIST'S MATE. ONCE THE ALCHIBA WAS SAFELY AT MARE ISLAND, HE WAS REASSIGNED TO THE ABSD2, A FLOATING DRY DOCK. AFTER 16 MONTHS AND A PROMOTION TO WARRANT MACHINIST, HE WAS FLOWN OUT TO OKINAWA TO BECOME THE ENGINEERING OFFICER ON THE USS VALVE, A REPAIR SHIP. WHEN THE WAR ENDED, HE WAS IN PEARL HARBOR OVERHAULING LTV'S. DUE TO THE END OF WAR AND THE DOWNSIZED U.S. NAVY NEEDS, HE REVERTED TO CHIEF PETTY OFFICER.