World War II Honoree

Theodore 'Ted' Creer

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Waterbury, Connecticut

Honored By

Ted B. Thompson

Relationship

Nephew

ONE OF TWO BROTHERS WHO SERVED THEIR COUNTRY IN THE U.S. MILITARY DURING WWII. MEMBER OF THE U.S. NAVY'S SUBMARINE SERVICE. SERVED AS A TORPEDOMAN 1ST CLASS ABOARD TWO DIFFERENT SUBMARINES IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN PACIFIC; THE FIRST OF WHICH IS NOT KNOWN. THE SECOND WAS THE USS FINBACK SS-230. BASED IN HONOLULU, HAWAII. LENGTHY SUBMARINE MISSIONS AT SEA INVOLVED PATROLLING FOR ENEMY SHIPS AS WELL AS RESCUING PILOTS AND AIRCREW OF DOWNED U.S. NAVY AND MARINE AIRCRAFT. DURING ONE SUCH MISSION, AS A MEMBER OF THE DECK CREW ON HIS FIRST SUBMARINE, HE WAS WOUNDED IN ACTION DURING A STRAFING ATTACK BY A JAPANESE 'ZERO' AIRCRAFT WHILE THE SUBMARINE WAS ON THE SURFACE RESCUING A NAVY PILOT WHO HAD BEEN SHOT DOWN. HIS WOUNDS WERE TREATED ABOARD THE SUBMARINE WHILE REMAINING AT SEA. HE WAS LATER AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR INJURIES RECEIVED. NOT LONG AFTER THIS INCIDENT HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE USS FINBACK SS-230. HE WAS SERVING AS A TORPEDOMAN ABOARD THE USS FINBACK ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1944 AT 11:56 AM DURING ANOTHER RESCUE AT SEA NEAR THE ENEMY-HELD ISLAND OF CHI-CHI JIMA OF A U.S. NAVY 'AVENGER' TORPEDO-BOMBER PILOT FROM THE CARRIER USS SAN JACINTO VT-51. THE RESCUED PILOT SPENT NEARLY 30 DAYS ABOARD THE FINBACK, LIVING AMONGST THE SUB'S CREWMEN BEFORE THE FINBACK COMPLETED ITS MISSION AT SEA AND HE FINALLY RETURNED TO HIS SQUADRON. THE YOUNG PILOT WHOSE LIFE WAS SAVED THAT DAY NEAR CHI-CHI JIMA WAS NONE OTHER THAN LIEUTENANT GEORGE BUSH, SENIOR, WHO LATER BECAME PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.