World War II Honoree

Floyd Olen Hedges

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Miami, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED AS A SEAMAN FIRST CLASS OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC AREA ABOARD THE DESTROYER USS CALLAGHAN (DD-792). HIS SHIP PARTICIPATED IN A NUMBER OF ENGAGEMENTS AND HAD SHOT DOWN MANY ENEMY 'KAMIKAZE' SUICIDE PLANES. ON JULY 9, 1945, HIS SHIP TOOK STATION ON THE EMBATTLED RADAR PICKET LINE OFF OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS, TO PROTECT THE FLEET AND OTHER FORCES AT OKINAWA. THE FLEET WAS ATTACKED REPEATEDLY BY NUMEROUS ENEMY PLANES. ON JULY 28, 1945, THE DESTROYER DROVE OFF A JAPANESE BIPLANE INTENT ON SUICIDE, BUT THE PLANE, SKIMMING LOW AND UNDETECTED, RETURNED TO STRIKE HIS SHIP ON THE STARBOARD SIDE. THE ENEMY PLANE EXPLODED AND ONE OF THE PLANE'S BOMBS PENETRATED THE AFTER ENGINE ROOM. THE DESTROYER FLOODED, AND THE FIRES CAUSED BY THE EXPLOSIONS IGNITED ON-BOARD AMMUNITION AND FURTHER CRIPPLED THE SHIP. USS CALLAGHAN SANK BENEATH THE WAVES AT 0235 HOURS ON JULY 28, 1945. HE WAS LISTED AS KILLED IN ACTION ON JULY 29, 1945. A TOTAL OF 46 ADDITIONAL SHIPMATES WERE KILLED IN THE ATTACK OUT OF THE SHIP'S 325-MEMBER CREW. THE USS CALLAGHAN AND 42 OTHER SHIPS WERE SUNK IN BATTLE AT OKINAWA. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES.