World War II Honoree

Arnold Abernathy

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Hayesville, North Carolina

Honored By

George Lee American Legion Post 532

HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES NAVY IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA IN 1941. HE TOOK BASIC TRAINING AT NORFOLK, VIRGINIA AND THEN WAS SENT TO DETROIT, MICHIGAN. HE GOT A CALL TO RETURN TO NAVAL HEADQUARTERS, BECAUSE PEARL HARBOR HAD BEEN BOMBED. HE WAS THEN SENT TO SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. HE THEN SAILED TO GUADALCANAL AND THEN ON TO THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. HIS DUTY WAS A NAVY COOK AND HE ACHIEVED THE RANK OF CHIEF E-7. HE SERVED TEN YEARS ACTIVE DUTY AND TEN YEARS NAVAL RESERVE.