World War II Honoree

Earl Antle

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Red Fork, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

WORKED AS AN IRON WORKER WITH THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS (CCC) ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS BEFORE THE WAR. THE CCC WAS A U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAM TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT. HE WAS RECRUITED FROM HIS CONSTRUCTION TRADE TO SERVE IN A NAVAL CONSTRUCTION UNIT. SAILED OVERSEAS ABOARD THE COMMUNICATIONS SHIP USS MOUNT MCKINLEY (AGC-7). SERVED AS A SEABEE OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC AREA WITH THE 106TH NAVAL CONSTRUCTION BATTALION. INITIALLY, HELPED REBUILD AIRFIELDS AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII. THEN, PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS AT IWO JIMA IN THE BONIN ISLANDS. HE SET UP THE FIRST RADIO ANTENNA ON MOUNT SURIBACHI AFTER IT WAS CAPTURED FROM THE JAPANESE. THEN HELPED TO REBUILD RUNWAYS ON IWO JIMA WHILE FIGHTING WAS ONGOING. ALSO USED HEAVY EQUIPMENT TO DIG HASTY MASS GRAVES FOR THE FALLEN. SERVED WITH OCCUPATION FORCES AT YOKOSUKA, JAPAN AFTER THE END OF HOSTILITIES. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL WITH ‘ASIA’ CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.