World War II Honoree

Roy Huff 'Bill' Acrea, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Okmulgee, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE BEFORE THE UNITED STATES ENTERED THE WAR. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER BEFORE AND DURING THE WAR. HE WAS STATIONED AT THE NAVAL AIR STATION ON FORD ISLAND, A PART OF THE NAVAL FACILITIES AT PEARL HARBOR, ON THE HAWAIIAN ISLAND OF OAHU, AT THE TIME OF THE JAPANESE ATTACK, ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 7, 1941. FORD ISLAND WAS A PRIMARY STRATEGIC TARGET DUE TO THE ADJACENT BATTLESHIP AND OTHER SHIP ANCHORAGES, AND ITS AIR STATION, AND WAS AT THE CENTER OF THE ACTION. WHEN THE JAPANESE LAUNCHED THEIR SURPRISE AIR AND SUBMARINE ATTACK AGAINST AMERICAN NAVAL SHIPS AND MILITARY SHIPYARD FACILITIES AND AIRFIELDS, SHORTLY BEFORE 8:00 A.M., HE WAS IN HIS BARRACKS VISITING WITH HIS FELLOW SAILORS. HE INITIALLY THOUGHT THE SOUNDS WERE FROM ARMY FORCES CONDUCTING MANEUVERS, BUT WHEN HE SAW AIRPLANES FLYING LOW WITH THE RISING SUN INSIGNIA OF JAPAN, HE KNEW THIS WAS AN ENEMY ATTACK. SOON, IT APPEARED THAT EVERYTHING WAS ON FIRE AND BURNING. HE AND OTHERS BEGAN TO TAKE ACTION TO SAVE NAVAL AIRCRAFT, THAT WERE PARKED IN THE OPEN AT THE AIRFIELD, BY MOVING THEM AWAY FROM OTHER BURNING PLANES, DISPERSING THEM, AND TRYING TO EXTINGUISH FIRES. THIRTY THREE AIRCRAFT ON FORD ISLAND WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED AND ONE HANGER WAS DESTROYED. THE ATTACK, OVERALL, KILLED SOME 2,403 PEOPLE, AND WOUNDED 1,104 OTHERS. IT CRIPPLED THE U.S. PACIFIC FLEET, DESTROYING OR DAMAGING ALL 8 BATTLESHIPS IN THE HARBOR, AND DESTROYED 75% OF THE AIRCRAFT ON AIRFIELDS ON OAHU. AWARDED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH ‘BASE’ CLASP, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RATE OF CHIEF PETTY OFFICER AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.