World War II Honoree

Dudley R. Akin

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Dallas, Texas

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Seaman Second Class. He was inducted into the United States Navy December 10, 1941 at Dallas, Texas. Served aboard the USS Jarvis Destroyer DD-393 in the Pacific Theater of Operations. On August 7, 1942 the Destroyer and her shipmates, along with an armada of U.S. Battleships, Destroyers, Cruisers and other Warships, arrived off-shore of Guadalcanal in support of the impending invasion. Reported missing in action, lost at sea Sunday, August 9, 1942 when his warship was torpedoed by an Imperial Japanese Torpedo Bomber, and she went down with all hands off-shore of Tulagi Island. Later his missing in action status was amended to read killed in action January 12, 1945. His name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the American Cemetery at Fort William-McKinley in Manila, Philippine Islands. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.