World War II Honoree

Elbert Ritchie Culp

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Concord NC, North Carolina

Honored By

Don Kilburg Jr.

Upon finishing high school in 1940 Elbert Ritchie Culp worked for the North Carolina Ship Building Company in the Wilmington NC Shipyard building Liberty Ships. The he served in the U.S. Navy aboard the destroyer USS Englis in the Pacific theater from December of 1943 until January 30, 1946. . Culp was a "Plank" owner of the USS English, being one of the original crew members of the vessel. The USS English was the first American ship to sail into Tokyo Bay, preceding the USS Missouri, upon which the Japanese surrendered to mark the end of World War II Culp was honorably discharged from the Navy with the rank of Fire Control-man Third Class.