Wesley Delmont Eickelberger

BRANCH OF SERVICE
U.S. Navy

HOMETOWN
Paoli, IN

HONORED BY
Grateful American

ACTIVITY DURING WWII

ENLISTED ON 4 JULY 1942 AT LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. ASSIGNED TO THE USS ELLIS DD-154, A WICKES CLASS DESTROYER ASSIGNED TO THE ATLANTIC FLEET ESCORT DUTY FROM MARCH, 1943 TO OCTOBER, 1943 ESCORTING THE TANKER ARUBA, TROOP TRANSPORT DERRY TO NORTH AFRICA. 24 NOVEMBER 1943 ASSIGNED TO THE COMMISSIONING CREW USS ALBERT W. GRANT DD-649, A FLETCHER CLASS DESTROYER ASSIGNED TO THE ATLANTIC FLEET. 11 NOVEMBER 1944 ASSIGNED TO THE USS WILLIAMS DE-372, A JOHN C. BUTLER CLASS DESTROYER ESCORT ASSIGNED TO THE PACIFIC FLEET ESCORT DUTY. ARRIVED AT PEARL HARBOR ON 16 FEBRUARY 1945. PUSHED ON TO THE NEW HEBRIDES, ESPIRITU SANTO, LUNG POINT, NOUMES, ULITHI, MANUS ISLAND, ENIWETOK, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, HOLLANDIA, TINIAN AND OKINAWA. 29 NOVEMBER WAS IN A SEVERE TROPICAL STORM WHEN A HUGE WAVE HIT THE STARBOARD SIDE ROLLING THE WILLIAMS OVER 93 DEGREES, LOST POWER AND RECEIVED MAJOR DAMAGE. DAMAGE CONTROL PARTIES RESTORED THE SHIP TO FIGHTING EFFICIENCY. RATING OF COXSWAIN.