World War II Honoree

Alva Francis Cole, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Van Wert, Ohio

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1943, SHORTLY AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. HE VOLUNTEERED FOR U.S. NAVY SERVICE IN ADVANCE OF HIS DRAFT NOTICE, AS HE HEARD THAT THE NAVY'S 'CHOW' WAS BETTER THAN THE ARMY'S. HE THEN VOLUNTEERED FOR DUTY WITH THE SUBMARINE SERVICE, AS THE PAY WAS BETTER. HE WAS SENT TO THE GREAT LAKES NAVAL TRAINING CENTER, NORTH OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS FOR RECRUIT TRAINING, AND FOLLOW-ON TRAINING AT THE NAVAL TRAINING SCHOOL IN A PRE-RADIO MATERIAL COURSE. IN 1943, HE WAS SENT TO THE NAVAL TRAINING SCHOOL AT OKLAHOMA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE (OAMC) IN STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA TO ATTEND A COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN ELEMENTARY ELECTRICITY AND RADIO MATERIAL. HE STUDIED AT OAMC FROM AUGUST TO NOVEMBER, 1943. UPON COMPLETION, HE WAS REASSIGNED TO THE NAVAL TRAINING CENTER ON TREASURE ISLAND, AT SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA TO ATTEND A TRAINING SCHOOL FOR RADAR AND SONAR. SUBSEQUENTLY, SERVED AS A RADIO TECHNICIAN SECOND CLASS (RT2) OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD FLEET SUBMARINES USS BRILL (SS-330) AND USS BLENNY (SS-324), DURING THE WAR. PARTICIPATED IN COMBAT WAR PATROLS, INCLUDING IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. AWARDED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN MARCH, 1946 WITH THE RATING OF ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN'S MATE AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.