Foil: 13 Panel: 1 Column: 1 Line: 24

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. George W. Conway

Harry joined the Navy "to see the world" in 1936 and served aboard the Battleship U.S.S. Idaho. He became an Aviation Radioman and air crewmember of scout planes flying scouting and directing gunfire missions from the Idaho. The Idaho served with the Pacific Fleet during peacetime, but in May, 1941 was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet for duty with the North Atlantic "Neutrality Patrol" protecting ship convoys to England. Through this fortunate change in assignment the Idaho avoided the fate of her sister ships of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Idaho returned to the Pacific in 1942 and in 1943 it participated in the Aleutian Island campaign. During this campaign, Harry and pilot Lt. Harris O. Thorgerson flew observation flights in an OS2U "Kingfisher" scout plane and directed naval gunfire and Army Air Force bombing missions against the Island of Attu.
Harry completed twenty two years of naval service in 1959 and finished his career as Chief of the Communications Shop at NAS Alameda, Oakland CA. He continued working at NAS Alameda as a civilian employee for twenty years and retired as Shop Foreman.
Harry died October 11, 2000 and at his request his ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean off the coast at Monterey, CA.