Spotlight on Clarksburg Ohio's World War II Sailors and their Ships!

The following is a list of Clarksburg Ohio Navy Veterans and the ships they served on during World War II:

AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
USS Ranger (CV-4): Navy Bomb Squadron 42: AOM/1C Ralph E. Ater
USS Antietam (CV-36): F1/C Ward “Hoot” Garrison
USS Antietam (CV-26) RM2/C Dusty Stinson
USS Natoma Bay (CVE-62): MM3/C Robert Southward

BATTLESHIPS
USS Texas (BB-35): MM2/C John W. Pool
USS Texas (BB-35): GM2/C Earl Reisinger
USS Missouri: PO1/C Grant McDonald
USS New York (BB-34): F1/C Robert Haynes
USS New Jersey (BB-62): S1/C Walter Morris, Jr. (Deep Sea Diver)

CRUISERS
USS Denver (CL- 58): GM3/C Robert Marcus Ater

DESTROYERS
USS Bache (DD-470): RDM2/C Gerald V. Bethel
USS Jouett (DD-396): WT3/C Loren Galen Penwell
USS John R. Craig (DD-885): S1/C Eugene W. Mace
USS Stack (DD-405): BKR2/C Ralph A. Hawkins

DESTROYER TENDERS
USS Alcor (AD-34): S1/C John W. Kirkwood
USS Prairie (AD-15): S1/C Walter Morris, Jr.
USS Hamul (AD-20): SF3/C Tom Rittenhouse

LANDING CRAFT INFANTRY (LCI) LANDING SHIP TANK (LST)
LCI #34: EM1/C Charles “Denny” Chenault
LST #221: S1/C Howard Fay
LST# 675: BM1/C Earl Martin
LST #863: S/1C Lee Dunkle

MISCELLANEOUS SHIPS
Liberty Ship (Hull 2955): Coxswain Phillip J. Sewards
USS Zenobia (AKA-52): Attack Cargo Ship: S2/C Orville W. Watkins
USS LaSalle: S1/C Shelby E. Wolford
USS APA Presidio (APA-88): Attack Transport: EM1/C Charles “Denny” Chenault

U.S.S. Barrier (AM-150) Minesweeper: Paul DeWitt

Clarksburg Ohio's Proud 222 World War II Veterans

Welcome to Clarksburg's Courageous World War II blog, preserving, honoring and celebrating Clarksburg Ohio's WWII history. Between 1938 and 1945, 222 men and women from Clarksburg, Ohio and surrounding Deerfield Township volunteered or joined the U.S. Armed Forces through the selective service draft and proudly served their country in various capacities.

To put things into perspective, approximately 16 million men and women served in the United States Armed Forces by VJ-Day (August 15, 1945) -- 1 in 8 American citizens. In 1945, approximately 1,000 people populated Clarksburg and Deerfield Township - located in the northwestern most portion of historic Ross County. Between 1938 and 1945, Clarksburg and Deerfield Township sent 222 soldiers (219 men and 3 women) to war. In comparison to an already notable national average of service, the village’s ratio equated to an impressive 1 in 5 residents.

By the numbers --- of the 222 who served:

• 9 (4%) were killed-in-action.
• 11 were wounded-in-action.
• 122 (55%) served in the U.S. Army
• 47 (21%) U.S. Army Air Force
• 42 (19%) U.S. Navy
• 5 United States Marine Corps
• 2 U.S. Coast Guard.
• 200 Clarksburg soldiers were enlisted
• 22 were officers.

I hope you enjoy this blog and contribute regularly. The video has also been posted to You Tube under Clarksburg's Courageous.