World War II Honoree

Orris Kent Redenbaugh

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Topeka, Kansas

Honored By

Eloise

Relationship

Daughter

HE BEGAN BY TRAINING AT GREAT LAKES, AND WAS SENT BY TRAIN TO SAN DIEGO. THERE, AFTER A COUPLE OF ASSIGNMENTS, HE TRAINED AS AN ELECTRICIAN AND WAS INVOLVED IN UPDATING BATTLE STATION COMMUNICATIONS OF OLD AIRCRAFT CARRIERS AND LSTS. HE WAS THEN ASSIGNED TO THE NEW USS ROCKBRIDGE APA-228, A TROOP AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIP WITH 26 LANDING BOATS. HE SERVED ON THE ROCKBRIDGE THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE WAR, BEGINNING WITH BEING SENT TO ASTORIA, AND THE SHAKEDOWN OF THE SHIP. THE FIRST ACTION THEY SAW WAS THE BATTLE AT IWO JIMA, FOLLOWED BY OKINAWA. WHEN THE WAR ENDED, THEY HAD JUST LEFT THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS WITH MARINES WHO WERE HEADED HOME. THEY WERE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THE MARINES TO THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, AND TO GO ON TO JAPAN, WHERE LATER HE WAS FINALLY TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER SHIP HEADING HOME TO THE USA.