World War II Honoree

Orville Raymond Bethard

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Los Angeles, California

Relationship

Self

ELECTRICIANS MATE FIRST CLASS U.S. NAVAL RESERVE V-6. SERVED ON THE USS ST. LO AS AN ELECTRICIAN. HE WAS CAPTAIN'S ELECTRICIAN. PARTICIPATING WITH THE MARINES IN THE INVASION OF SAIPAN, AND PROTECTING THEM AGAINST JAPANESE SUBMARINE ACTIVITIES AGAINST THEIR FLEET. HE REPAIRED WHATEVER NEEDED REPAIR THROUGHOUT THE SHIP ELECTRICALLY. WAS RESPONSIBLE ONBOARD THE SHIP FOR THE LANDING LIGHTS FOR THE PLANES COMING IN AT NIGHT. SHIP WAS SUNK BY KAMIKAZE OCTOBER, 25, 1944 IN THE BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF. SERVED ON OKINAWA HOSPITAL UNIT AS ELECTRICIAN.