World War II Honoree

Carl Stuart Bevis

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Bainbridge, Georgia

Honored By

William David Wilson

Relationship

American Legion Post 68

HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY ON OCTOBER 22, 1940 AT FORT SCREVEN GA. HE RECEIVED HIS BASIC TRAINING AT SAVANNAH ARMY AIR BASE GA. HE WAS ASSIGNED AS A CLERK TO THE ORDERLY ROOM SINCE HE COULD TYPE. HIS UNIT WAS THE 1st MATERIAL SQUADRON. HIS UNIT PERFORMED FIELD MANEUVERS IN LOUISIANA AND TEXAS IN THE SUMMER OF 1941. ON 8 DECEMBER 1941, HIS UNIT WAS ALERTED FOR IMMEDIATE DEPLOYMENT. HIS UNIT WAS SENT TO OAKLAND CALIFORNIA WHERE THEY BOARDED THE USS ANCON FOR THE 25 DAY TRIP TO BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA. A JAPANESE SUBMARINE GOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CONVOY AND TOOK A SHOT AT HIS SHIP. UPON REACHING BRISBANE AUSTRALIA, HIS UNIT WAS SENT TO CHARTERS TOWERS IN QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA. THEIR MISSION WAS TO STOP THE JAPANESE FROM INVADING AUSTRALIA. THEIR LOCATION AND UNIT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE SECRET BUT TOKYO ROSE WELCOMED THEM ON THE RADIO AND TOLD THEM THAT THE JAPANESE AIR FORCE WOULD BE VISITING THEM SOON. HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE USAAF AND ASSIGNED TO THE FIFTH AIR FORCE. HE WAS SELECTED FOR FIRST SERGEANT AND LATER ATTENDED OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AND WAS COMMISSIONED AS A LIEUTENANT IN THE USAAF. HE WAS SENT TO BRISBANE AS ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR THE MATERIAL SQUADRON. HE WAS DISCHARGED IN JULY 1945. HE SAID THE MOST IMPRESSIVE AND BEAUTIFUL SIGHT HE SAW DURING HIS MILITARY SERVICE WAS THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE AS HE RETURNED TO AMERICA ABOARD THE USS LURLINE.