World War II Honoree

Richard Merlin Prentice

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Hotchkiss, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Fireman First Class. He was inducted into the United States Navy January 6, 1940 at Denver, Colorado. Served aboard the USS Neosho Tanker, AO-23 and her shipmates participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea against the Imperial Japanese Naval Aviators (Battle Dates: May 4-8, 1942) in the South Pacific Theater of Operations. On the Eighth, at 11:00 hours the Tanker/Oiler came under attack, and was sunk after sustaining multiple bomb strikes. Reported missing in action on the day of the attack. 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.