World War II Honoree

Don Eugene 'Gene' Daugherty

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Walters, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE HEAVY CRUISER USS NEW ORLEANS (CA-32), NICKNAMED 'NO BOAT'. HIS CRUISER SAILED ON AUGUST 28, 1945, AFTER THE END OF HOSTILITIES, AS PART OF A CRUISER-DESTROYER FORCE TO PORTS IN CHINA AND KOREA. THE SHIP COVERED THE INTERNMENT OF JAPANESE SHIPS AT TSINGTAO, CHINA, THE EVACUATION OF LIBERATED ALLIED PRISONERS-OF-WAR, AND THE LANDING OF TROOPS IN KOREA AND CHINA. SAILED ON NOVEMBER 17, 1945 FROM THE MOUTH OF THE PEKING RIVER IN CHINA, CARRYING VETERANS HOMEWARD BOUND. TOOK ON MORE RETURNING TROOPS AT THE SASEBO U.S. NAVAL BASE IN JAPAN, AND DISEMBARKED PASSENGERS AT SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA ON DECEMBER 8, 1945. A SIMILAR DUTY TOOK HIS SHIP TO GUAM IN JANUARY, 1946. THEN, THE CRUISER SAILED THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL FOR A 10-DAY VISIT TO ITS NAMESAKE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, BEFORE BEING DECOMMISSIONED. AWARDED THE CHINA SERVICE MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL WITH ‘ASIA’ CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT THE NAVAL BASE AT NORMAN, OKLAHOMA AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.