World War II Honoree

Richard W. Baragar

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Grant, Michigan

Honored By

Richard W. Baragar

SHIP'S COOK THIRD CLASS. ENLISTED IN THE NAVY IN 1944. WENT TO GREAT LAKES FOR BOOT CAMP. AFTER BOOTS, WENT TO GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI FOR COOK AND BAKER SCHOOL. AFTER FINISHING SCHOOL, WAS SENT TO TREASURE ISLAND, CALIFORNIA TO AWAIT ASSIGNMENT. THEN TRANSFERRED TO SAN DIEGO AND WAS ASSIGNED TO THE USS NORRIS DD-859. SHE WAS PUT IN COMMISSION ON JUNE 9, 1945. HAD TWO OR THREE WEEKS OF SHAKE DOWN CRUISES AND THEN THE SHIP WAS ASSIGNED TO TREASURE ISLAND. WENT ON SEVERAL SHORT CRUISES FROM TREASURE ISLAND. WHILE AT TREASURE ISLAND, THE BIG BOMB WAS DROPPED AND THEN THE SECOND ONE WAS DROPPED; THAT WAS THE END OF THE WAR FOR ME. OUR SHIP WAS THEN ASSIGNED TO GO TO HONG KONG, CHINA. THE NATIONALISTS AND COMMUNISTS WERE FIGHTING AT THAT TIME. WE WERE ON PATROL DUTY TO STOP BLACK MARKETING. PORTS OF CALL AT HAINAN, SHANGHAI AND TACHIAHO. I LEFT THE SHIP IN JUNE 1946. HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE U.S. NAVY ON JULY 1, 1946 AND WAS HOME FOR THE 4TH OF JULY, 1946.