Foil: 51 Panel: 4 Column: 2 Line: 5

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Sponsor

Honored by:
Charles Elwood

My grandfather, Warren G Elwood, enlisted in the Navy on July 9th, 1941 and reported to boot camp in company number 87 in San Diego. (In his Blue Jacket, inside the front cover the following was inscribed "Warren Elwood U.S.N company 41-87"). Grandpa was stationed at Naval Air Station Pearl Harbor (or Ford Island) and was there during the December 7th, 1941 attack. Grandpa explained to us that he was brushing his teeth when he heard the sirens, and if attacked, his assignment was to move specific planes out onto the tarmac. When he reached his plane, it was already engulfed in flames. After the attack, grandpa then went on to serve on the USS Enterprise CV-6, in the Carrier Aircraft Service Unit Number 55 (CASU-55). CV-6 is the most decorated US Navy ship from WWII. One of Grandpa's proudest achievements on the Enterprise was that his Unit came up with a design for a turret for the PBY aircraft. He explained that the PBY had a blind spot, so they added a turret to the PBYs on the aircraft carrier to improve the gunner's visibility and better protect his aircraft. During his time on the Enterprise he was promoted to the rank of 1st Class Petty Officer. We took grandpa back to Naval Station Pearl Harbor, in 1983. He walked up to the marine at the guard shack, and my father recalls, the Marine inspecting his military ID, realizing that he was a Pearl Harbor Survivor, snapped to attention, saluted Grandpa and said he was welcome to go anywhere he wanted on the base. Grandpa earned the following medals, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the American Defense Medal, the Navy Good Conduct Medal, and in the 1980's he received the Pearl Harbor Medal. We miss you grandpa, you are a hero to all your children, grandchildren and now many great grandchildren.