World War II Honoree

William Edward 'Bill' O'Connor

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Washington, District Of Columbia

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

JOINED THE NAVAL RESERVE AT AGE 16. ENLISTED IN U.S. NAVY SERVICE AT AGE 17 AND ENTERED ACTIVE DUTY ON JANUARY 1, 1941. SERVED ABOARD THE USS J. FRED TALBOTT (DD-156), A WORLD WAR I ERA DESTROYER FROM 1941-1945. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AND IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AREA AND CARIBBEAN SEA TO PROTECT SEA LANES AND SHIPPING AND THE PANAMA CANAL. ALSO PARTICIPATED IN CONVOY ESCORT DUTIES BETWEEN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA AND CUBA AND THE PANAMA CANAL. HIS SHIP THEN SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER, INCLUDING IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. TRANSFERRED TO THE DESTROYER USS HYMAN (DD-732) IN 1945 AND TOOK PART IN THE IWO JIMA INVASION IN THE BONIN ISLANDS. WITNESSED THE RAISING OF THE AMERICAN FLAG ON MOUNT SURIBACHI ON FEBRUARY 23, 1945. HIS SHIP KEPT THE SLOPE OF MOUNT SURIBACHI ILLUMINATED WITH ITS SEARCHLIGHTS DURING DARKNESS TO ASSIST MARINE COMBAT TROOPS ASHORE. HE THEN PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE FOR OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS BEGINNING ON APRIL 1, 1945. ON APRIL 6, 1945, WHILE OPERATING WEST OF IE SHIMA, HIS SHIP WAS ATTACKED BY 'KAMIKAZE' SUICIDE PLANES. ONE CRASHED INTO THE SHIP AND EXPLODED ON THE MAIN DECK, CAUSING FIRES AND FLOODING. HIS SHIP CONTINUED IN THE FIGHT BUT 10 OF HIS SHIPMATES WERE KILLED IN ACTION AND OVER 40 WOUNDED. HIS SHIP SERVED ON OCCUPATION DUTY AFTER THE WAR. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, 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 AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN. RECALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY AFTER THE WAR AND SERVED UNTIL AGAIN HONORABLY DISCHARGED.