World War II Honoree

John Joseph Dunn

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Watoga, West Virginia

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Fireman Third Class. Inducted into the United States Navy September 27, 1940 at Richmond, Virginia, with recruit training at the U.S. Naval Training Station Newport, Rhode Island. Upon his graduation from boot camp and Fire Training, he was transferred to the USS Lexington AKA: Lady Lex, Aircraft Carrier CV-2, for duty as a Fireman. The Seagoing airbase 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 of May at 11:00 hours, the Carrier sustained two aerial torpedo strikes and three bomb hits from enemy dive bombers. Following gasoline and ammunition explosions, she was abandoned and scuttled by the USS Phelps, Destroyer (DD-218). Reported missing in action, lost at sea on the day of the attack. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.