World War II Honoree

Albert Ebel

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Illinois

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE ON DECEMBER 8, 1941, THE DAY FOLLOWING THE JAPANESE SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, TERRITORY OF HAWAII. COMPLETED BOOT CAMP AND FIRE CONTROL TRAINING. ASSIGNED TO THE BATTLESHIP USS IOWA (BB-61), WAS ABOARD WHEN THE SHIP WAS COMMISSIONED ON FEBRUARY 22, 1943, AND THUS BECAME A 'PLANK OWNER' OF THE VESSEL. HIS DUTY STATION WAS AT ONE OF THE MASSIVE 16-INCH GUNS AND HE IS CREDITED WITH FIRING THE FIRST SHELL FROM THAT GUN IN BATTLE. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN, AND ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATERS DURING THE WAR. HIS SHIP TRANSPORTED PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT TO CASABLANCA, MOROCCO IN NOVEMBER, 1943, ON THE FIRST LEG OF A TRIP TO MEET WITH PRIME MINISTER WINSTON CHURCHILL. THEY WOULD FLY ON TO TEHRAN, IRAN FOR THE FIRST MEETING OF THE 'BIG THREE', THE TEHRAN CONFERENCE, WITH THE SOVIET WARTIME LEADER, JOSEF STALIN. THE SHIP THEN RETURNED THE PRESIDENT BACK TO THE UNITED STATES. PROVIDED FIRE SUPPORT DURING AMPHIBIOUS LANDING OPERATIONS AT KWAJALEIN AND ENIWETOK ATOLLS IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS IN JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1944 AND AT IWO JIMA IN THE BONIN ISLANDS IN FEBRUARY-MARCH, 1945. HIS WARSHIP ENTERED SAGAMI BAY WITH THE USS MISSOURI (BB-63) TO SECURE THE SURRENDER OF THE YOKOSUKA NAVAL ARSENAL, AND THEN SERVED AS THE THIRD FLEET FLAGSHIP AT THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT'S FORMAL SURRENDER CEREMONY IN TOKYO BAY ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945. PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION ‘MAGIC CARPET’ AFTER THE END OF HOSTILITIES. THIS WAS THE CODE NAME FOR THE RAPID RETURN OF SERVICE PERSONNEL BY WARSHIPS AND TRANSPORT VESSELS FROM THEATER TO THE U.S.A. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.