World War II Honoree

Hugh Emerson Bellmon

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Billings, Oklahoma

Honored By

Donane Bellmon

Relationship

Wife

INDUCTED INTO MILITARY SERVICE ON MAY 1, 1943. TOOK BOOT CAMP TRAINING AT THE NAVAL TRAINING CENTER AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA; THEN, GUNNERY TRAINING AT THE NAVAL TRAINING SCHOOL AT SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA. UPON COMPLETION OF TRAINING, WAS ASSIGNED TO HIS FIRST SHIP, THE TANKER SS PEQUOT HILL. HE CAME ABOARD HIS SHIP IN SAN PEDRO HARBOR AS A MEMBER OF THE NAVAL ARMED GUARDS WITH DUTIES AS A GUNNER ON A 3-INCH GUN. U.S. NAVY PERSONNEL WERE PLACED ON BOARD MERCHANT SHIPS TO MAN DEFENSIVE GUNS FOR USE AGAINST SUBMARINES AND ENEMY AIRCRAFT. SAILED FROM SAN PEDRO, ARRIVED AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII AND THEN SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER. HIS TYPE SHIP WAS THE WORKHORSE OF THE TANKER FLEET AND DELIVERED FUEL PRODUCTS THROUGHOUT THE THEATER. DURING ONE VOYAGE, WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A LIVE-FIRE GUN CREW DRILL, HE SUSTAINED A PERMANENT HEARING INJURY. IN 1943, HIS SHIP WAS MODIFIED TO CARRY AIRCRAFT. A ‘SKELETON DECK’ WAS BUILT, WHICH RESEMBLED AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER DECK, ON WHICH THE PLANES WERE PARKED. IN 1944, DURING THEIR DEPARTURE FROM PORT AT WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, IN BAD WEATHER, A LARGE HOLE WAS RIPPED IN THE HULL. THE STRICKEN SHIP MADE ITS WAY TO HAWAII FOR REPAIRS. THERE, HE BOARDED THE LARGE TROOP TRANSPORT, SS CUBA, AND SAILED FROM HAWAII VIA THE PANAMA CANAL TO NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. THERE, REASSIGNED TO ANOTHER TANKER WHICH SAILED TO SEVERAL PORTS IN THE AMERICAN THEATER, INCLUDING IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA AND FLORIDA. REASSIGNED, ONCE AGAIN, TO ANOTHER TANKER AND SAILED TO NEW YORK, WHERE HE WAS ASSIGNED TO A LIBERTY CARGO SHIP. THE VESSEL TOOK ON A CARGO OF MUSTARD GAS, SAILED FROM THE NEW YORK HARBOR ACROSS THE ATLANTIC, INTO THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL, INTO THE RED SEA, INDIAN OCEAN AND ON TO THE PORT OF CALCUTTA, INDIA. AFTER DISCHARGING ITS CARGO, THE SHIP SET SAIL TO RETURN BY THE SAME ROUTE TO NORFOLK, VIRGINIA. AFTER CLEARING THE SUEZ CANAL, THE SHIP MADE CONTACT WITH A GERMAN SUBMARINE, ENGAGED THE U-BOAT WITH UNKNOWN RESULTS, AND THEN BROKE CONTACT AND DEPARTED THE AREA. HIS SHIP WAS 17 DAYS OUT OF NORFOLK WHEN WORD WAS PASSED BY RADIO THAT THE WAR WAS OVER. IN TOTAL, HE MADE SOME 13 TRIPS THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL DURING HIS SERVICE AT SEA. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN NOVEMBER, 1945 WITH THE RATING OF SEAMAN FIRST CLASS AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.