World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Hollis Wesley Ward
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
Crescent, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE AND ASSIGNED ON OCTOBER 10, 1944 TO THE ESCORT AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS HOGGATT BAY (CVE-75). SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER. HIS SHIP SUPPORTED THE LANDINGS AND OPERATIONS AT LINGAYEN GULF IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS FROM JANUARY 6-17, 1945. PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS AT OKINAWA FROM MAY 8, 1945 TO JUNE 24, 1945. AFTER THE WAR, SUPPORTED OCCUPATION OF HOKKAIDO, NORTHERN HONSHU, AOMORI, AND TOKYO, JAPAN. ALSO PARTICIPATED IN ‘MAGIC CARPET’ OPERATIONS AFTER THE END OF THE WAR. THIS WAS THE CODE NAME FOR THE RAPID RETURN OF SERVICE PERSONNEL BY WARSHIPS AND TRANSPORT VESSELS FROM THEATER TO THE U.S.A. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL WITH ‘ASIA’ CLASP. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946 AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.