World War II Honoree

George A. Hebert

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Waterbury, Connecticut

Honored By

Georgia and Stephen

Relationship

Daughter and Grandson

Enlisted in U.S. Navy in 1924. During WWII, Chief Petty Officer George A. Hebert served in the American Theater, The European-African-Middle Eastern Theater as well as the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, participating in 9 major campaigns. He served on several different types of ships - a mine sweeper, an auxiliary ship as well as a couple of destroyers, both fleet and escort. His first sea duty came on the light cruiser, the USS Memphis CL-13, an Omaha-class light cruiser. He then served on a mine sweeper, the USS Swan AMS-37. Later in his career he served on an auxiliary ship, the USS Wright AV-1 as a Water Tender 1st Class (E-6). Here he became a Shellback or Son of Neptune (crossing the equator at Longitude 80' 41'00') and also attained the rank of Acting Chief Petty Officer. It was on the fleet destroyer, USS Madison DD-425 that he achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer (E-7). His last sea duty came on the destroyer escort, the USS Seiverling DE-441 designed for escorting convoys and warding off submarine attacks. Having served on four continents and in three theaters of war, he received the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Combat Action Ribbon, the Navy Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Medal (for service prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor), the American Campaign Medal w/1 Bronze Service Star, the European_African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal w/3 Bronze Stars (for the Egypt-Libya, Algeria-French Morocco and the Tunisia Campaigns), the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/1 Silver Star (for the Western Pacific, Luzon, Central Burma, Southern Philippine and the Ryukyus Campaigns), the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, the Philippine Liberation Medal w/1 Bronze Star for the Luzon Campaign, the WWII Victory Medal, the Navy Occupation Medal w/Asia Clasp, the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross, the New York State Medal for Merit, the New York State Conspicuous Service Star and the Honorable Discharge Lapel Pin and Lozenge.