World War II Honoree

Blas Alonzo Gibler

Branch of Service

U.S. Merchant Marine

Hometown

Laredo, Texas

Honored By

Douglas M. Alford, USN

HE WAS ATTENDING ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY WITH THREE YEARS COMPLETED. ON DECEMBER 7, 1941 THE JAPANESE BOMBED PEARL HARBOR. HE ENLISTED IN THE NAVY IN MARCH 1942. AFTER 15 MONTHS IN SERVICE HE APPLIED FOR OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL. A SPECIAL SCHOOL WAS CONVENED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR FOUR MONTHS. TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SCHOOL HE HAD TO BE DISCHARGED FROM THE NAVY AND BE ACCEPTED IN THE MERCHANT MARINE. HE TOOK HIS GENERAL DISCHARGE FROM THE NAVY AND JOINED THE MERCHANT MARINE TO OBTAIN HIS COMMISSION. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO A FREIGHTER IN HOUSTON REFITTED TO SHIP GOODS TO THE WAR FRONT. WHEN THE FREIGHTER TRAVELED IT WAS ESCORTED BY THE NAVAL VESSELS FOR PROTECTION. THE FREIGHTERS WERE BOMBED, STRAFED, TORPEDOED AND ATTACKED EN ROUTE TO THE FOREIGN PORT. HE WAS NEVER INJURED DURING THIS PERIOD. HE SERVED TWO YEARS AFTER THE WAR WAS OVER, THEN HE WAS DISCHARGED.