World War II Honoree

Woodrow Peery

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Holdenville, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

DRAFTED INTO MILITARY SERVICE AT AGE 28. REPORTED FOR DUTY IN FEBRUARY, 1944. TOOK BASIC TRAINING AT SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, AND SPECIALIZED FIRE CONTROLMAN INSTRUCTION AT THE NAVAL STATION, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. SAILED FROM THE PORT AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA AND SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC AREA AS A FIRE CONTROLMAN DURING THE WAR. HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTROLLING THE COMPLEX, ELECTRONIC FIRING MECHANISMS OF HIS SHIP’S WEAPONS. HE PERFORMED DUTIES AS TALKER, PLOTTER, SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR, AND GUN-DIRECTOR OPERATOR. HE ALSO MAINTAINED AND OPERATED TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT DESIGNED FOR ACCURATE GUNFIRE, INCLUDING OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS, SUCH AS RANGEFINDERS AND TELESCOPES; AND FIRE-CONTROL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS SUCH AS TELEPHONES AND AUTOMATIC SIGNAL EQUIPMENT, AND GUN DIRECTOR. AFTER ARRIVING AT HOLLANDIA IN DUTCH NEW GUINEA IN THE SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE DESTROYER ESCORT USS WALTON (DE-361) AND WOULD SERVE ABOARD THAT SHIP FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WAR. HIS SHIP’S FIRST WARTIME DUTY BEGAN AT HOLLANDIA ON JANUARY 21, 1945. THE DESTROYER DEPARTED THAT PORT, BOUND FOR THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AS PART OF AN ESCORT FOR A LARGE CONVOY. THE CONVOY ARRIVED WITHOUT INCIDENT AT ITS DESTINATION AT SAN PEDRO BAY AT LEYTE IN THE PHILIPPINES ON JANUARY 31, 1945. FROM FEBRUARY-APRIL, 1945, DE-361 ESCORTED CONVOYS BETWEEN HOLLANDIA AND LINGAYEN GULF, PHILIPPINES. ALSO MADE RUNS BETWEEN LEYTE AND KOSSOL ROADS IN THE PALAU ISLANDS, AND TRIPS TO MINDORO, PHILIPPINES. DURING THE LATTER PART OF APRIL, THE DESTROYER ESCORT PATROLLED THE WATERS BETWEEN HOMONHON ISLAND AND DINAGAT, AT THE MOUTH OF LEYTE GULF. IN MAY, 1945, THE WARSHIP VISITED MANILA IN THE PHILIPPINES, LEYTE, AND HOLLANDIA, BEFORE RECEIVING ORDERS TO SAIL FOR SUBIC BAY, PHILIPPINES TO CONDUCT ANTISUBMARINE SWEEPS ALONG THE WEST COAST OF LUZON, PHILIPPINES. IN ADDITION, THE SHIP WAS TO TRAIN BRITISH AND AMERICAN SUBMARINES, AND PROVIDE ESCORT AS THEY WERE STARTING OR FINISHING PATROLS. ON JULY 28, 1945, THE DESTROYER DEPARTED SUBIC BAY TO JOIN A HUNTER-KILLER GROUP ON THE EASTERN COAST OF LUZON. THE GROUP SWEPT NORTHEAST OF LUZON AND ACROSS THE CONVOY LANES BETWEEN LEYTE, AND OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS, WITHOUT SUCCESS. HIS SHIP WAS AT SUBIC BAY WHEN HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN CEASED WHEN THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TERMS ON AUGUST 14, 1945. THE DESTROYER ESCORT ANCHORED AT BUCKNER BAY, ON THE SOUTHERN COAST OF OKINAWA ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945, THE DAY OF JAPAN'S FORMAL SURRENDER TO THE ALLIES IN TOKYO BAY (V-J DAY). DEPARTED OKINAWA TO ESCORT A HOSPITAL SHIP TO INCHON, KOREA. HIS SHIP EXPLODED 11 MINES EN ROUTE AS IT PASSED THROUGH THE YELLOW SEA, AND ARRIVED ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1945. FLOATING MINES WERE A PARTICULAR HAZARD FOR HIS DESTROYER AND ON ONE OCCASION A MINE SCRAPED AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE SHIP WHEN IT WASN’T DETECTED BY THE NIGHT WATCH CREW. FORTUNATELY IT DID NOT DETONATE, BUT THE SOUND OF THE MINE SCRAPING AGAINST THE HULL WAS ONE THAT HE NEVER FORGOT. THE DESTROYER SERVED AS A RIVER PILOT SHIP IN THE WATERS OFF INCHON. WHILE ENGAGED IN THAT DUTY, THE VESSEL SUFFERED DAMAGE ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1945, WHEN A LANDING CRAFT TANK COLLIDED WITH HER, OPENING A LARGE HOLE. AFTER REPAIRS, THE SHIP ESCORTED AN ATTACK TRANSPORT TO TAKU, AND THEN TSINGTAO, CHINA TO TRANSPORT INTERNEES FROM CAMPS THERE TO HONG KONG. WHILE EN ROUTE, ON OCTOBER 10-11, 1945, HIS SHIP RODE OUT THE OUTER EDGE OF TYPHOON ‘LOUISE’ SWIRLING IT’S WAY UP THE CHINA COAST. ALTHOUGH BUFFETED BY 30-40-FOOT WAVES AND WINDS CLOCKED AT OVER 50 KNOTS, THE DESTROYER SUFFERED NO MATERIEL DAMAGE. RIDING OUT THE TYPHOON WAS ONE OF THE FEW TIMES DURING HIS TOUR OF DUTY WHEN HE DID NOT GET SEASICK. ARRIVED AT HONG KONG ON OCTOBER 13, 1945 AND REMAINED THERE UNTIL NOVEMBER 4, 1945 WHEN THE DESTROYER DEPARTED FOR SHANGHAI, CHINA ON ESCORT DUTY. THEN RETURNED TO INCHON, HUNTING FOR AND SINKING STRAY MINES WHILE ACTING AS AN ESCORT. SAILED FROM INCHON ON NOVEMBER 20, 1945 FOR OKINAWA EN ROUTE TO THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES. EMBARKED PASSENGERS AT OKINAWA, TAKING PART IN OPERATION ‘MAGIC CARPET.’ THIS WAS THE CODE NAME FOR THE RAPID RETURN OF SERVICE PERSONNEL BY WARSHIPS AND TRANSPORT VESSELS FROM THEATER TO THE U.S.A. AFTER A STOP IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, USS WALTON ARRIVED AT SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA ON DECEMBER 16, 1945. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN JANUARY, 1946 WITH THE RATE OF FIRE CONTROLMAN THIRD CLASS AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN. AWARDED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON (RETROACTIVE), CHINA SERVICE MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES.