World War II Honoree

Paul David Newsome, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Clarendon, Arkansas

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1943. INITIALLY, TRAINED AND SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER. HIS SHIP DEPARTED SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ON JANUARY 15, 1945 AND ARRIVED AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, ON JANUARY 21, 1945. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE SMALL SEAPLANE TENDER USS COOK INLET (AVP-36). PARTICIPATED IN THE IWO JIMA OPERATION CAMPAIGN. THE VESSEL TENDED SEAPLANES AT HILO, HAWAII, FROM JANUARY 25-31, 1945. THEN, SAILED AND ARRIVED OFF SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS ON FEBRUARY 26, 1945, AND SERVED THERE WITH AN ESCORT AND PATROL GROUP. FROM MARCH 2-14, 1945 THE SHIP WAS ON AN AIR-SEA RESCUE STATION DURING THE INVASION OF IWO JIMA IN THE BONIN ISLANDS ARCHIPELAGO. HIS SHIP RESCUED 27 SURVIVORS OF DOWNED BOMBERS DURING HER TOUR OF DUTY THERE. THE TENDER REMAINED ON DUTY AT IWO JIMA AND WAS THERE WHEN THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE ALLIED UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TERMS ON AUGUST 14, 1945. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR (1 CAMPAIGN), AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.