World War II Honoree

John L. Gatton, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Coast Guard

Hometown

Louisville, Kentucky

Honored By

Walton Haddix

Assigned to the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Larkspur. Saw duty at the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station in Biloxi, Mississippi aboard the cutter USS Buttonwood. Sent to Orange, Texas to commission a new amphibious craft, LCI#96, part of Flotillas 4 and 10 which made landing in North Africa, Sicily, Salerno and on D-Day at Omaha Beach where four ships were lost. Received a Unit Commendation, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 Stars and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal.