World War II Honoree

Richard Earl Gardner

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE AFTER THE JAPANESE SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII. SELECTED FOR NAVAL OFFICER TRAINING AND SENT TO CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. UPON GRADUATION COMMISSIONED AN ENSIGN. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATERS AS SONAR OFFICER AND CELESTIAL NAVIGATOR ABOARD THE ESCORT DESTROYER USS HUBBARD (DE-211). PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC. HIS DESTROYER WAS BASED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT NORFOLK, VA ON MAY 7, 1944. IN 1944, HIS SHIP ESCORTED SHIPS TO THE CARIBBEAN, THEN SAILED WITH HER FIRST CONVOY ON JUNE 1, 1944, TO BIZERTE, TUNISIA, AND RETURNED TO NEW YORK ON JULY 19, 1944. SUBSEQUENTLY MADE TWO MORE CONVOY CROSSINGS IN 1944, AND CONDUCTED ANTISUBMARINE TRAINING AT CASCO BAY, MAINE, BETWEEN VOYAGES. SAILED ON DECEMBER 26, 1944 TO HUNT FOR U-BOATS IN THE ATLANTIC. ON JANUARY 16, 1945, LOCATED A GERMAN SUB AND PARTICIPATED IN DEPTH CHARGE ATTACKS THAT SANK THE U-BOAT NORTH-NORTHEAST OF THE AZORES. SAILED AGAIN TO SEARCH FOR SUBMARINES ON APRIL 4, 1945 FROM ARGENTIA, NEWFOUNDLAND. AFTER THE SINKING OF AN AMERICAN DESTROYER, ON APRIL 24, 1945, EAST OF CAPE RACE, NEWFOUNDLAND, HIS SHIP JOINED IN HUNTING THE ATTACKER. AFTER LOCATING A SUB, HIS SHIP MADE FOUR DEPTH CHARGE ATTACKS, AFTER WHICH THE SUB SURFACED AND WAS SUNK SOON THEREAFTER. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT THE END OF THE WAR AS A LIEUTENANT AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN. RECALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY AFTER THE WAR AND SERVED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. UNTIL RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY. CONTINUED IN U.S. NAVY ACTIVE AND RESERVE SERVICE UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT AS A COMMANDER.