World War II Honoree

Daniel LeRoy Hocker

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Shidler, Osage County, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

Relationship

Relationship Not Determined

SERVED OVERSEAS AS A GUNNER ABOARD THE DESTROYER USS HUGH W. HADLEY (DD-774) IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER. HIS SHIP SAILED ON FEBRUARY 21, 1945, FOR PEARL HARBOR, TERRITORY OF HAWAII. THE SHIP ARRIVED ON FEBRUARY 27, 1945, AND SAILED EIGHT DAYS LATER FOR ULITHI AND THE OKINAWA INVASION. ARRIVED OFF OKINAWA ON MARCH 31, 1945. THE VESSEL LED A GROUP OF LANDING SHIPS TANK (LST) TOWARD THE BEACH, SHOOTING DOWN AN ATTACKING JAPANESE PLANE EN ROUTE. THE DESTROYER HELPED PROTECT AGAINST SUBMARINES AND AIRCRAFT AS THE JAPANESE MADE A FINAL EFFORT TO STOP THE INVASION. THE SHIP REMAINED ON PATROL UNTIL APRIL 4, 1945, THEN WENT TO SAIPAN, AND ARRIVED BACK AT OKINAWA ON APRIL 27, 1945. THERE, FOUGHT OFF NUMEROUS AIR RAIDS, PICKED UP A DOWNED FIGHTER PILOT, AND CARRIED OUT ANTISUBMARINE PATROLS. TOOK UP ADDITIONAL DUTIES AS A FIGHTER DIRECTION SHIP ON MAY 10, 1945. TOOK A FIGHTING STATION WEST OF OKINAWA AND EARLY THE NEXT MORNING BEGAN VECTORING AIRCRAFT TO MEET THE ONCOMING JAPANESE. FOR NEARLY TWO HOURS THE MORNING OF MAY 11, 1945, THE SHIP CAME UNDER SEVERE ATTACK, DOWNING MANY 'KAMAKAZE' SUICIDE AIRCRAFT AND DIRECTING AIR ATTACKS ON FORMATIONS OF JAPANESE. THE ATTACKERS NUMBERED SOME 150 PLANES. AT ABOUT 0920 HOURS, SHE WAS ATTACKED BY 10 PLANES SIMULTANEOUSLY, FROM BOTH AHEAD AND ASTERN. THE SHIP DESTROYED ALL 10, BUT NOT WITHOUT DAMAGE TO HERSELF. ONE BOMB HIT AFT, AND TWO 'KAMIKAZE' CRASHES WERE INFLICTED ON THE SHIP. FINALLY, AS THE ATTACK ENDED, ALL BUT 50 OF THE CREW WERE ORDERED OVER THE SIDE IN LIFE RAFTS. THE REMAINING MEN FOUGHT FIRES AND WORKED TO CONTROL THE DAMAGE. THOUGH HER ENGINEERING SPACES WERE FLOODED AND SHE WAS BADLY HOLED, THE DESTROYER WAS KEPT AFLOAT BY HER DAMAGE CONTROL PARTIES AND EVENTUALLY ARRIVED AT IE SHIMA. THE ATTACK TOOK THE LIVES OF 30 CREW MEMBERS. USS HADLEY HAD SUCCEEDED IN DOWNING SOME 23 ENEMY AIRCRAFT AND AIDED IN DESTROYING SEVERAL OTHERS. AFTER TEMPORARY REPAIRS, THE SHIP WAS TAKEN TO KERAMA RETTO ON MAY 14, 1945, FOR MORE REPAIRS. THE VESSEL WAS THEN TAKEN TO BUCKNER BAY, OKINAWA, ARRIVING ON JULY 15, 1945. AFTER 20 DAYS THERE, SHE BEGAN THE LONG VOYAGE UNDER TOW TO THE UNITED STATES. AFTER ENCOUNTERING HEAVY WEATHER DURING THE PASSAGE, THE SHIP ARRIVED AT HUNTER'S POINT, CALIFORNIA, ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1945. SHE WAS DEEMED AS BEING TOO DAMAGED TO BE REPAIRED AND WAS DECOMMISSIONED. HE WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH ONE BRONZE SERVICE STAR (1 CAMPAIGN), AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. THE DESTROYER WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION (PUC) FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION AS A FIGHTER DIRECTION SHIP ON RADAR PICKET STATION ON MAY 11, 1945. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED AFTER THE WAR ENDED ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945, WHEN THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT FORMALLY SURRENDERED AND VICTORY OVER JAPAN DAY (V-J DAY) WAS ANNOUNCED. ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.