World War II Honoree

Jack David Bacon

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Albany, Oregon

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Aviation Machinist's Mate Second Class. He was inducted into the United States Navy November 9, 1942 at Portland, Oregon. Served aboard the USS Gambier Bay, Escort Aircraft Carrier CVE-73 in the Pacific Theater of Operations. The Carrier and her shipmates, along with an armada of U.S. Battleships, Destroyers, Cruisers and other Warships participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The engagement took place in the Philippine Sea off Samar Island, against the Imperial Japanese Naval forces (Battle Dates: October 23–26 1944). Reported missing in action, lost at sea October 25, 1944 when the seagoing airbase was sunk by cannon fire from the enemy warships. Later his missing in action status was amended to read killed in action June 18, 1945. His name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the Honolulu National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, ‘Punchbowl’ Hawaii. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Willamette Memorial Park Cemetery in Albany, Oregon. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.