World War II Honoree

John Charles England

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Pasadena, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Ensign. He was inducted into the United States Navy September 6, 1940 at Los Angeles, California, completing his active duty training aboard the USS New York. Later attended the Naval Reserve Midshipman's School, and commissioned an Ensign on June 6, 1941. Served aboard the USS Oklahoma Battleship BB-37 and based at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii. On Sunday Morning, December 7, 1941 the Emperor of Japan’s Naval Aviators launched a devastating, surprise attack on the U.S. Naval Base, and other military installations on Oahu. The Oklahoma moored on Ford Island along with her shipmates came under attack, and she sustained multiple torpedo strikes, which caused the warship to capsize. The Battle of Pearl Harbor took his life on the day of the attack, and interred in the Oahu Nuuanu Cemetery, Territory of Hawaii. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, personnel from an American Graves Registration Company disinterred the unknown remains from the Oahu Cemetery, and laid them to rest in the Honolulu National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, 'Punchbowl' Hawaii. In June of 2015, personnel from the Defense Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency disinterred an unknown from Punchbowl, and transferred the remains to their Honolulu’s laboratory for analysis, where he was identified. His family received his remains for burial. He was laid to rest with Military Honors, August 13, 2016 at the Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.