World War II Honoree

Elmore F. Higgins, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Pelham Manor, New York

Honored By

Elmore F. Smoak, Sr.

Relationship

Son

HE GRADUATED FROM THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY IN THE CLASS OF 1939. AS AN ENSIGN, HE SERVED IN THE PACIFIC FLEET ABOARD THE USS ARIZONA, THE USS PERKINS, AND THE USS SARATOGA. SHORTLY AFTER THE OUTBREAK OF WWII, WHILE SERVING IN THE GUNNERY DEPARTMENT OF THE USS SARATOGA, HE WAS PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE AND IN MAY 1942 WAS MADE A LIEUTENANT. WHILE ABOARD THE SARATOGA, HE PARTICIPATED IN THE CAMPAIGN IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH PACIFIC. IN JUNE OF 1943, HE WAS ORDERED TO THE POST-GRADUATE SCHOOL; ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND, FOR A COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS. DURING THIS COURSE, HE WAS PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT COMMANDER, AND UPON COMPLETION IN JULY 1944, HE WAS ORDERED AS COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER OF THE USS NEW JERSEY IN THE PACIFIC FLEET. THE USS NEW JERSEY SERVED ALTERNATELY AS THE FLAGSHIP FOR THE COMMANDERS OF THE THIRD AND FIFTH FLEETS DURING THE WESTWARD ADVANCES ACROSS THE PACIFIC. THE OPERATIONS IN WHICH HE PARTICIPATED INCLUDED THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, PELELIU, IWO JIMA, AND OKINAWA CAMPAIGNS. AT THE END OF THE WAR, THE USS NEW JERSEY ENTERED TOKYO BAY AND REMAINED THERE AS THE FLAGSHIP OF THE NAVAL FORCES OF OCCUPATION.