World War II Honoree

Dale Wayne Folks

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Weatherford, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1944, AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE DESTROYER TENDER USS CASCADE (AD-16), DURING THE WAR. USS CASCADE'S PRIMARY ROLE IN THE WAR WAS REPAIRING, OVERHAULING AND SUPPLYING DESTROYERS OF THE THIRD, FIFTH AND SEVENTH FLEETS. THE DESTROYER TENDER SAILED TO OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS, WHERE HE PARTICIPATED IN THE OKINAWA GUNTO OPERATION-THE ASSAULT AND OCCUPATION OF OKINAWA GUNTO FROM JUNE 2-30, 1945. THERE, THE VESSEL SURVIVED ALMOST DAILY 'KAMIKAZE' SUICIDE AIR RAIDS. THE SHIP LEFT OKINAWA IN SEPTEMBER, 1945, AFTER THE END OF HOSTILITIES, TO SERVE AT WAKAYAMA, JAPAN AND LATER TOKYO, JAPAN. THERE, THE TENDER SUPPORTED OCCUPATION FORCES UNTIL MARCH, 1946, WHEN HIS SHIP SAILED FOR THE EAST COAST OF THE USA. HE WAS STATIONED OVERSEAS AT KERAMA RETTO ANCHORAGE, AT OKINAWA, IN JUNE, 1945; BUCKNER BAY, AT OKINAWA, FROM JULY–SEPTEMBER, 1945; AND AT WAKAYAMA, JAPAN, IN SEPTEMBER, 1945. AWARDED THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE BATTLE STAR, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL WITH ‘ASIA’ CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RATING OF SEAMAN FIRST CLASS AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.