World War II Honoree

Bernard Lige Austin

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Wagener, South Carolina

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

Commanding officer of the destroyer USS Woolsey (DD-437) and it operated in the Atlantic Ocean, escorting convoys from North America to Iceland, the British Isles, and Puerto Rico. She also took part in Operation Torch, the Allied amphibious invasion of North Africa. He later took command of the USS Foote (DD-115) and took her to the Pacific Theater of Operations where it participated in the Solomon Islands campaign. Received Bronze Star Medal with Combat V, Navy Cross with Gold Star, Silver Star Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp, Legion of Merit with Combat 'V', Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with five service stars, WWII Victory Medal, and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two service stars.