World War II Honoree

John Austin Womack

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Naples, Texas

Honored By

American Legion Post 92 & Douglas M. Alford, USN

HE ENLISTED IN THE NAVAL SERVICE AT LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1942 AND RECEIVED HIS BASIC TRAINING AT THE GREAT LAKES NAVAL TRAINING STATION, ILLINOIS. AFTER RECEIVING HIS CULINARY TRAINING, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE NAVAL STATION, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA THEN TO THE PANAMA CANAL WHERE HE BOARDED THE USS COLUMBIA (SSN-771). THE SHIP WAS ON ITS WAY TO THE WAR ZONE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. HE WAS ONBOARD THE USS COLUMBIA FOR THREE YEARS. THE SHIP RECEIVED THREE KAMIKAZE ATTACKS BUT SURVIVED EACH. THE SHIP WAS INVOLVED IN 11 MAJOR LANDINGS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC ARENA. HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE ANACOSTIA NAVAL RECEIVING STATION WHERE HE SERVED FOR TWO YEARS. HE WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO BREMERTON, WASHINGTON WHERE HE BOARDED THE USS SEVERN (AO-61), A TANKER MOVING OIL FROM SAUDI ARABIA TO JAPAN. HE WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO THE NORFOLK NAVAL STATION WHERE HE SERVED ONBOARD THE USS HOPI (ATF-71), A SEA GOING TUG. HE WAS THEN TRANSFERRED BACK TO NORFOLK NAVAL STATION WHERE HE WAS DISCHARGED ON AUGUST 30, 1948. DURING HIS TOUR HE WAS AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, NAVY UNIT CITATION MEDAL AND ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS MEDAL. HE WAS VERY PROUD OF HIS SERVICE TO THE COUNTRY.