World War II Honoree

Thomas W. Grimes

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Central Islip, New York

Honored By

Michael McTiernan

He enlisted in the Navy on October 29, 1942. He began his basic training at the Naval Training School at Bainbridge, Maryland. As Ship's Cook, he served aboard the Destroyer USS Russell in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. He fought aboard this vessel during the bombardment and invasion of Okinawa, the Gilbert Islands, Tulagi and Solomon Islands. Steaming to the Aleutian Islands, the Destroyer aided in the landings on Kiska before returning to the South Pacific and the Marshall Islands, where they silenced shore batteries. After escorting ships for the landing on New Guinea, the Russell set out for the Philippine Islands, serving as a screening ship for the Army transports and bombarding shore installations. Late in 1945 the Russell rescued 539 survivors of the USS Hornet. After four years in the Navy, he was honorably discharged on April 29, 1946 at San Francisco Separation Center. he was awarded Seven Battle Stars, the Good Conduct Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Medal.