World War II Honoree

David H. Eccles

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Morro Bay, California

Honored By

David H. Eccles

JOINED THE NAVAL RESERVE IN 1939 AND RECEIVED AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE EARLY IN 1941. DRAFTED IN 1945 WHILE WORKING IN WAR-CRITICAL POSITIONS AS A BRAKEMAN AND CREW DISPATCHER WITH THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD. IN JUNE 1945, AFTER VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY, WENT TO FORT MACARTHUR, CALIFORNIA, WHERE HE WAS SWORN INTO THE U.S. NAVY. WENT TO THE NAVAL TRAINING CENTER AND CAMP PENDLETON IN SAN DIEGO FOR TWELVE WEEKS OF BASIC TRAINING AND WAS STILL IN BASIC TRAINING WHEN JAPAN SURRENDERED. AFTER BOOT CAMP, WAS ASSIGNED DEMOBILIZATION WORK AS A TYPIST, A SKILL LEARNED BEFORE THE WAR. AFTER AN ADDITIONAL THREE WEEKS OF TRAINING, TRANSFERRED TO FORT WALLACE, NEAR HOUSTON, TEXAS. WORKED DISCHARGING THE SAILORS FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS. A NEW ORDER WAS ISSUED WHILE HE WAS THERE THAT ALLOWED OLDER MEN IN THE RESERVE TO BE DISCHARGED. HE APPLIED, AND AS SOON AS HIS PASS ARRIVED FROM SAN FRANCISCO, HE TOOK A TRAIN FROM HOUSTON BACK TO FORT MACARTHUR TO BE DISCHARGED. ENDED SERVICE ON DECEMBER 20, 1945.