World War II Honoree

Ivan A. Custer

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Pawnee, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1941. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT SAN DIEGO NAVAL TRAINING CENTER, CALIFORNIA. APPLIED AND WAS SELECTED FOR OFFICER TRAINING IN A NAVAL OFFICER SPECIAL TRAINING PROGRAM. SENT FOR COLLEGE TRAINING AT ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY IN CANTON, NEW YORK, AND HARVARD UNIVERSITY IN CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS. UPON COMPLETION OF COLLEGE TRAINING, SENT TO NAVY OFFICER TRAINING AND UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION, WAS COMMISSIONED AN ENSIGN. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER DURING THE WAR, INCLUDING IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC AREA. ALSO SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER IN THE CARIBBEAN AREA. AWARDED THE AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946 WITH THE RANK OF ENSIGN AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.