World War II Honoree

Charles Woodrow Bell

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Dallas, Texas

Honored By

M. Carol Darnell & Richard Gaboury

Relationship

Relatives

DISCHARGED BEFORE WWII BEGAN, 1938, HIS LAST ASSIGNMENT WAS ABOARD THE BATTLESHIP USS TENNESSEE (BB-43). RE-ENLISTED FEBRUARY 3, 1942 AT DALLAS, TEXAS AND SENT TO SAN FRANCISCO'S MARE ISLAND NAVAL YARD FROM FEBRUARY 25, 1942 THROUGH JULY 18, 1942. ASSIGNED TO NEWLY COMMISSIONED MINE SWEEPER YMS-121 WITH RESPONSIBILITIES OF YEOMAN 1ST CLASS IN GENERAL SERVICES FROM JULY 20, 1942 TO AUGUST 17, 1943. THREE DAYS ASSIGNMENT TO 'COMMANDER, MINE FORCE, PATROL FORCE', 12TH NAVAL DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS, MARE ISLAND, CALIFORNIA. TRANSFERRED TO ALAMEDA NAVAL AIR STATION, SAN FRANCISCO FOR DUTY AT TRANSPORT SQUADRON (VR2) WITH AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT PBM MARINER; AUGUST 20, 1943 THROUGH DECEMBER 9. FROM DECEMBER 9 THROUGH JANUARY 28, 1944, AS TEMPORARY ASSIGNEE, SENT TO TRANSPORT SQUADRON PACIFIC (VR1) OPERATIONS SKYMASTER RSD-4 THEN, CROSS ASSIGNED TO TRANSRON TEN FROM JANUARY 10 THROUGH MARCH 3, 1944. PROCEEDED TO RECEIVING SHIP, SAN FRANCISCO, CARRIER USS ESSEX (CV-9); MARCH 14, 1944 TO MARCH 29, 1944, THEN ORDERED TO WARTIME VESSELS FOR NEEDED ADMINISTRATION SERVICE WHILE CREWS WERE ON REST, SUPPLY AND REFITTING. SENT TO EAST COAST PIER 2, PORT OF MIAMI FOR SUBMARINE SUB CHASER TRAINING CENTER (SCTC) FOR 6 MONTH ASSIGNMENT; APRIL 28, 1944 THROUGH OCTOBER 4, 1944 GIVEN SPECIAL QUALIFICATION AND DETAIL. ASSIGNED TO USS GENERAL M. L. HERSEY (AP-148) HIS SECOND RECEIVING SHIP, SAN FRANCISCO; OCTOBER 12, 1944 TO JANUARY 3, 1945. PROCESSED MORE THAN 3,000 VETERANS OF 'MAGIC CARPET' RETURNING FROM THEIR PACIFIC FIGHTING FROM NOVEMBER 7, 1944 THROUGH NEW YEARS 1945. ACCEPTED LAST ASSIGNMENT IN HAWAII WITH SUBMARINE FORCE U.S. PACIFIC FLEET COMMAND, JANUARY 20, 1945 THROUGH AUGUST 25, 1945 AT PEARL HARBOR, SERVING IN HIS ASSIGNMENT AT THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES AUGUST 14, 1945. TRANSFERRED TO VESSEL FOR FURTHER TRANSFER UNTIL EXPIRATION OF ENLISTMENT. AUGUST 27TH, SENT TO SAN DIEGO RECEIVING STATION ABOARD THE SUBMARINE SAWFISH (SS-276) ARRIVING AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, SEPTEMBER 6TH. HIS LAST ASSIGNMENT FULLY QUALIFIED HIM AS CHIEF YEOMAN, HOWEVER NO ADVANCEMENT MADE DUE TO NON VACANCY WITHIN HIS COMMAND. SEPARATED HONORABLY AT THE NAVAL PERSONNEL SEPARATION CENTER, SHOEMAKER, CALIFORNIA, SEPTEMBER 25, 1945. AWARDED: GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL (2ND AWARD), AMERICAN THEATER MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL BUTTON. U.S. NAVAL RESERVE SERIAL NUMBER 355 86 16.