World War II Honoree

DANIEL MARTIN ESSIG

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Manhattan, New York

Honored By

LISA ESSIG D'AMORE

Relationship

DAUGHTER

U.S. NAVY SC2 DANIEL MARTIN ESSIG (S#8091981 ) 4 FEBRUARY 1943-14 SEPTEMBER 1945. HE SERVED ABOARD THE USS MURPHY (DD-603) "THE SHIP THAT SANK BUT DIDN'T" ON 21 OCTOBER 1943 WHILE WAITING TO PERFORM ANTI-SUBMARIANE ESCORT DUTY FOR CONVOY HEADING OUT OF NEW YORK HARBOR, THE USS MURPHY WAS STRUCK BY THE SS BULKIOL TANKER WHICH CUT THE DESTROYER SHIP IN HALF. 38 SAILORS WERE TRAPPED INSIDE AND TRAGICALLY LOST THEIR LIVES; ANOTHER 211 SAILORS HAD TO BE RESCUED. THE COLLISSION RESULTED IN THE BOW OF USS MURPHY SINKING IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. THE STERN OF THE DESTROYER REMARKABLY REMAINED AFLOAT AND WAS TOWED BACK TO NEW YORK FOR REPAIR. AFTER THE REFITTING OF THE BOW THE USS MURPHY WOULD GO ON TO SERVE WITH DISTINGUSION IN THE ATLANTIC,EUROPEAN,PACIFIC THEATRES. U.S. NAVY SC2 DANIEL MARTIN ESSIG WOULD THEN GO ON TO SERVE ON THE USS LAFFEY (DD-724) "THE SHIP THAT WOULD NOT DIE" IN MAY OF 1944. THE USS LAFFEY JOINED THE SCREEN OF CONVOY ESCORT HEADING TO PLYMOUTH ENGLAND IN PREPARATION FOR THE "D" DAY INVASION. ON 3 JUNE 1944 THE USS LAFFEY HEADED FOR NORMANDY BEACHES ESCORTING TUGS, LANDING AIRCRAFT AND TWO DUTCH GUNBOATS. THE GROUP ARRIVED IN THE ASSAULT AREA OF UTAH BEACH, (BAIE DE LA SEINE) FRANCE AT DAWN ON 6 JUNE 1944. ON 6-7 JUNE THE USS LAFFEY SCREENDED TO SEAWARD ON 8-9 JUN.E THE U.S.S. LAFFEY SUCCESSFULLY BOMBARDED GUN EMPLACEMENTS, RACED BACK TO PLYMOUTH ENGLAND, TEMPORARLY LEAVING THE SCREEN TO REPLENISH QUICKLY RETURNING TO NORMANDY THE NEXT DAY PURSUING ENEMEY "E-BOATS" THAT HAD TORPEDOED THE USS NELSON (DD-623) DESROYER SHIP. USS LAFFEY BROKE UP THE ENEMY ("E-BOATS") TIGHT FORMATION PREVENTING ANY FURTHER ATTACKS. SCREENING DUTIES COMPLETED USS LAFFEY WOULD RETURN TO ENGLAND JOINING FORCES WITH BATTLE SHIP USS NEVADA(BB-36) BOMBARDMENT GROUP (2) SHELLING THE FORMIDABLE DEFENSES AT CHERBOURG-OCTEVILLE UPON REACHING THE BOMBARDMENT AREA THE GROUP WAS TAKEN UNDER FIRE BY SHORE BATTERIES RESULTING IN THE USS BARTON(DD-72), USS O'BRIEN(DD-415) BEING HIT. THE U.S.S LAFFEY WAS STRUCK ABOVE THE WATERLINE BY A RICOCHETING SHELL THAT FAILED TO EXPLODE CAUSING LITTLE DAMAGE. LATER THAT DAY THE BOMBARDMENT GROUP RETIRED AND ARRIVED IN BELFAST IRELAND. AFTER A SHORT STAY THE USS LAFFEY SAILED W/THE DESTROYER DIVISION(DESDIV-119) HEADED FOR HOME ARRIVING IN BOSTON MA ON 9 JULY 1944 AND UNDERWENT A MASSIVE OVERHAUL. UPON THE OVERHAUL COMPLETION THE USS LAFFEY SET COURSE TO HAIWAII ARRIVING AT PEARL HARBOR TO RECEIVE EXTENSIVE TRAINING THEN DEPARTING FOR THE WAR ZONE VIA ENIWETOK ATOLL( MARSHALL ISLANDS) ON 5 NOVEMBER 1944 JOINING THE SCREEN OF TASK FORCE (TF-38) CONDUCTING AIRSTRIKES ON ENEMY SHIPPING,AIRCRAFT,AIRFIELDS IN THE PHILIPPINES. IN JANUARY 1945 USS LAFFEY SCREENED AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS LANDING IN THE LINGAYEN GULF AREA OF LUZON,THEN RETIRING TO THE CAROLINE ISLANDS. USS LAFFEY ARRIVED AT ULITHI 27 JANUARY 1945. IN FEBRUARY USS LAFFEY SUPPORTED (TF58) CONDUCTING DIVERSIONARY AIRSTRIKES ON TOKYO AND DIRECT AIR SUPPORT OF U.S. MARINES FIGHTING IN IWO JIMA. IN FEBRUARY OF 1945 USS LAFFEY CARRIED VITAL INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION TO FLEET ADMIRAL CHESTER NIMMITZ AT GUAM. THE FOLLOWING DAY USS LAFFEY ARRIVED ULITHI ATOLL (CAROLINE ISLANDS) FOR INTENSIVE TRAINING WITH BATTLESHIPS OF TASK FORCE 54(TF54). 21 MARCH 1945 USS LAFFEY SORTIED TASK FORCE FOR THE "INVASION OF OKINAWA" USS LAFFEY HELPED CAPTURE KERAMA RETTO ISLAND GROUP(15 MILES W OF OKINAWA) BY BOMBARDING SHORE ESTABLISHMENTS, HARRASSING THE ENEMY (IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY) USING NIGHT FIRE SCREENING UNITS. 15 APRIL 1945 USS LAFFEY WAS ASSIGNED TO RADAR PICKET STATION (1 ) SOME 35 MILES NORTH OF OKINAWA AND JOINED IN THE OBLITERATING AIR ATTACK IN WHICH (13) IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY ENEMY AIRCRAFT WERE DOWNED THAT DAY. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY LAUNCHED ANOTHER AIR ATTACK WITH SOME 50 AIRCRAFT. THE MEN SERVING ABOARD THE USS LAFFEY WOULD FIGHT WITH AN UNMATCHED FEROTICY, COURAGENOUSNESS,SELFLESSNESS DESTROYING SEVERAL OF THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY (AICHI D3A) AIRCRAFT. HOWEVER, THE USS LAFFEY WOULD SUSTAINE SEVERE DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY DROPPING (4) BOMBS,(6) KAMIKAZE CRASHES, STRAFING FIRE ULTIMATELY KILLING 32 MEN, WOUNDING AN ADDITIONAL 71 MEN. AS A RESULT OF HIS SERVICE AND ACTIONS DURING WW II, U.S. NAVY SC2 DANIEL MARTIN ESSIG RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL, ASIATIC PACIFIC THEATRE CAMPAIGN MEDAL (W/2 BRONZE COMBAT STARS), AMERICAN THEATRE CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, HONORABLE DISCHARGE "RUPTURED DUCK" PIN. HE, ALONG WITH ALL THE COUNTLESS COURAGEOUS MEN AND WOMAN WHO DURING THE WAR EFFORT SERVED, CONTRIBUTED, AND SACRIFICED EVERYTHING ON THE HOME FRONT AND ABROAD TO DEFEND THIS "GREAT COUNTRY" IS WHY THEY ARE APPROPRIATELEY PLACED IN THE CATEGORY OF "THE GREATEST GENERATION EVER".