World War II Honoree

Max Joseph Allred

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Eureka, Utah

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Signalman Second Class. Inducted into the United States Navy August 17, 1937 at Salt Lake City, Utah, with recruit training at the U.S. Naval Training Station San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from boot camp and Signal Schooling, he was transferred to the USS Houston II Heavy Cruiser CA-30 for duty, responsible for visual communication, when all ships are under ‘Radio Silence’. The Cruiser and her shipmates participated in the Naval Battle of Sunda Strait, Dutch East Indies Campaign. On the night of February 28 and March 1, 1942 the Houston and an Australian Cruiser engaged a major Imperial Japanese Naval Force. Reported missing in action or buried at sea, when the Cruiser was sunk by enemy cannon fire and torpedoes, succeeding the battle. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. Later his missing in action status ultimately, to read killed in action December 15, 1945. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at Memory Grove Memorial Location: Salt Lake City, Utah. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.