World War II Honoree

Vernon Walthon Beard

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Foxworth, Mississippi

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

Served primarily in the Pacific area as a radioman. During his service which took him to the Philippine Islands, Australia, and Okinawa, he was assigned to five different vessels, four of which were either severely damaged or sunk by enemy torpedo, mine, and kamikaze attacks. His final Pacific Theater assignment was aboard a fleet flagship where he had a ringside seat for the Battle of the Leyte Gulf.