World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Eldon O. Wuerch
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
Manchester, Wisconsin
Honored By
Mrs. Adeline Wuerch
Enlisted in U.S. Navy May 1944 while studying chemical engineering at the University of Wisconsin. Boot camp at Great Lakes; diesel engineering course at University of Illinois, Champagne/Urbana. Advanced diesel engineering at Norfolk, Virginia. Sailed from Shoemaker, California as a diesel engineer to Hawaii and on to Guam, Saipan, Caroline Islands, New Guinea; also, took part in the Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and Philippine Islands invasions. Saw action in the China Sea -- was aboard the USS Belle Grove and USS Gunston Hall. Received the American Area Ribbon, Victory Ribbon and Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon two stars; was honorably discharged April 1946.