World War II Honoree

W. O. 'Dub' Hawkins

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Madill, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN JANUARY, 1942. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT CAMP ALLEN, AT THE NAVAL TRAINING STATION, NAVAL OPERATING BASE AT NORFOLK, VIRGINIA. ASSIGNED TO A NAVAL CONSTRUCTION BATTALION (NCB) AND MOVED WITH HIS UNIT TO THE NAVAL BASE AT PORT HUENEME, CALIFORNIA ON OCTOBER 23, 1942, AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA THE FOLLOWING MONTH, AND ARRIVED AT TULAGI ISLAND IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS ON JANUARY 3, 1943. SERVED AS A CARPENTER'S MATE OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 27TH NAVAL CONSTRUCTION BATTALION DURING THE WAR. HIS BATTALION WAS TRANSFERRED TO GUADALCANAL IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS ON NOVEMBER 19, 1943. THE UNIT SAILED FROM GUADALCANAL ON DECEMBER 26, 1943 AND ARRIVED AT AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND ON DECEMBER 31, 1943. RETURNED TO GUADALCANAL ON FEBRUARY 7, 1944, AND WAS REASSIGNED TO EMIRAU ISLAND IN THE BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO IN MARCH, 1944. DEPARTED FOR THE UNITED STATES ON SEPTEMBER 22, 1944, AND ARRIVED BACK AT CAMP PARKS AT DUBLIN, CALIFORNIA ON OCTOBER 18, 1944. IN FEBRUARY 1945, THE BATTALION WAS ALERTED FOR A SECOND OVERSEAS TOUR, AND IN APRIL, 1945 SAILED FOR OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946 WITH THE RATING OF CARPENTER'S MATE FIRST CLASS AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.