World War II Honoree

Darrell Ray Harting

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Ventura, California

Honored By

Richard E. Manzer

ENLISTED AUGUST 5, 1942 AND WENT TO BASIC TRAINING FOR 2 WEEKS IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. FIRST SHIP WAS THE USS SOUTH DAKOTA BB-57 REFERRED TO AS 'BATTLESHIP X' BECAUSE THE JAPANESE THOUGHT THEY HAD SUNK IT ON TWO OCCASIONS: AT SANTA CRUZ ISLAND AND AT GUADALCANAL WHILE HE WAS ABOARD. HIS BATTLE STATION WAS THE 'CLIPPING ROOM' ON THE MAIN DECK, WHERE HE AND OTHER MEN SUPPLIED CLIPS OF 20MM AMMUNITION TO ANY WEAPON ON THE DECK. WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE BATTLESHIP USS WASHINGTON BB-56 AT NEW CALEDONIA. IN 1945, WAS SENT TO PORTLAND, OREGON TO COMMISSION THE USS MANAYUNK, A SUBMARINE NET TENDER. ITS JOB WAS TO INSTALL AND SERVICE THE SUBMARINE 'GATES' IN THE OVERSEAS SUBMARINE NETS. WAS IN PEARL HARBOR ON LIBERTY WHEN JAPAN SURRENDERED.