World War II Honoree

Gerald W. Beauchamp

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Freshwater, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Seaman Second Class. He was inducted into the United States Navy February 12, 1941 at San Francisco, California, with recruit training at the U.S. Naval Training Station San Diego, California. After completing boot camp, he was transferred to the USS Astoria Cruiser, CA-34 for duty in the Pacific Theater of Operations. On August 7, 1942 the Cruiser and her shipmates, along with an armada of U.S. Battleships, Destroyers, and other Cruisers, arrived off-shore of Guadalcanal in support of the impending invasion. Reported missing in action, lost at sea Sunday, August 9, 1942 when his Cruiser was sunk by Imperial Japanese warship’s cannon fire 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. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Spear Family Cemetery in Freshwater, California. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.