I am 28, be 29 on...........September 11 of 2012
I turned 18 on the very day of the attacks, and it motivated me something awful to join the united states Army. I did, and served as an infantryman, 11Bravo to those in the know. I did not see combat however, and was medically discharged
I don't have any 'famous' uncles, but my grandfather was a bit of a local celebrity. I am from Bath, Maine which is home to Bath Iron Works ship yard, building Aegis class Guided Missile Destroyers. During WWII, gramps was drafted into the navy at 19, went to basic and then, to his surprise, was ordered back home to Bath to await the commissioning of his ship, the Fletcher class DD Ingersoll. On their shakedown cruise, they sank a submarine off of Bermuda, and headed for the Pacific. From late 43 to the surrender in Tokyo Bay, his ship was involved in every major action of the Pacific war, earning the Presidential unit citation and 9 battle stars. During an attempt to tow a damaged cruiser to safety, an operation intended to draw out Japanese air power, his ship was heavily engaged by torpedo bombers. Several were destroyed, the cruiser was sunk but the trade for some of the last experienced bombers crews Japan had was considered worth it. He called the small band of ships involved the, "Streamlined Bait Division" but even decades later a hint of resentment at the Navy for using his ship and his mates at bait shone through the humor. During the bloody battle for Okinawa, his ship was part of the well know radar picket of destroyers deployed far from the main fleet to act as a screen for the carriers when Kamikaze attacks reached their height. Not being able to hit the larger ships after being detected by the screen and their assigned CAP, the Japanese started hitting the DDs on picket duty. Not since the Solomons had it been so dangerous aboard a DD. His ship was clipped by a Ki-61 Tony, and shortly after destroyed a G4M3 Betty and another unidentified enemy aircraft. They then stopped the ship, while being attacked, to reverse course for a crew man who bailed off the bridge when the Tony attacked. A dog the men had aboard lived the entire war without a scratch, only to be killed in Tokyo by a truck.
He was interviewed about his wartime experiences by the papers for a veterans day special, and after that he was even more well known in the community.
