World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Robert Keith Duggins
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
English, Indiana
Honored By
Grateful American
Enlisted on 16 April 1940 at Louisville, Kentucky. 2 August 1940 assigned to the USS Chester CA-27, a Heavy Cruiser. 3 February 1941 home ported at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Was returning from Wake Island when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Patrolled Hawaiian water with task force 8. 18 to 24 January 1942 reinforced landing on Samoa. 1 February 1942 joined task group 8.3 for raid on Taroa. The Chester received a bomb hit and returned to Pearl Harbor for repairs. 4 May 1942 joined task force 17 for Guadalcanal-Tulagi. 7 May 1942 attacked Misima Island, Louisiade Archipelago. 8 May 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea. 15 May 1942 returned to the West Coast for overhaul. 21 August 1942 arrived at Noumea and joined task force 62. October 2 to 4 1942 supported landing on Funafuti. He was killed on 20 October 1942 while in support of operations on the Solomon Islands when the ship was hit by a torpedo from the Japanese submarine I-176 on the Starboard side hitting the engine room. Rating of Machinist's Mate Second Class Petty Officer.