World War II Honoree

Richard Martin Waldron, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Chicago, Illinois

Honored By

Mary Ellen Kauss, Katie and Megan Dowd, Jennifer Lynn and Marybeth Kauss

Relationship

Niece and Grand Nieces

SEAMAN FIRST CLASS. ENLISTED ON AUGUST 5, 1941. KILLED IN ACTION - LOST AT SEA ON MARCH 1, 1942. FIRST SHIP WAS THE TROOP TRANSPORT USS CHAUMONT (AP-5); NEXT SERVED ABOARD THE SEAPLANE TENDER USS LANGLEY (AV-3). ON FEBRUARY 27, 1942 DELIVERING 32 P-40 ALLIED FIGHTER PLANES TO THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES 49TH PURSUIT GROUP AT CILACAP, JAVA, THE LANGLEY WAS ATTACKED BY 9 JAPANESE MITSUBISHI G4M 'BETTY' BOMBERS. ON THE 3RD STRIKE, THE USS LANGLEY TOOK 5 HITS AND 60 CREW MEMBERS WERE KILLED. AIRCRAFT TOPSIDE BURST INTO FLAMES, STEERING WAS IMPAIRED, AND THE SHIP DEVELOPED A 10 DEGREE LIST TO PORT AND THE LANGLY WENT DEAD IN THE WATER AS HER ENGINE ROOM FLOODED. THE ORDER TO ABANDON SHIP WAS PASSED. ON MARCH 1, 1942 OFF CHRISTMAS ISLAND, SURVIVORS WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE USS PECOS (AO-6), WHICH ALREADY HAD SURVIVORS FROM 3 OTHER VESSELS ABOARD. IT WAS SUNK LATER THAT DAY AFTER 4 ATTACKS BY 4 SQUADRONS OF 'VAL' BOMBERS FROM A NEARBY JAPANESE TASK FORCE WHICH INCLUDED 4 CARRIERS. SEAMAN WALDRON WAS NOT AMONG THE SURVIVORS. HE IS MEMORIALIZED IN THE TABLETS OF THE MISSING AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY. HE EARNED THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL POSTHUMOUSLY FOR HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, THE NAVY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, THE AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL, THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC MEDAL WITH BRONZE STAR FOR EAST INDIES BATTLE CAMPAIGN AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL.