Elrod (FFG 55) - Naval Cruise Book

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I ' LL GET IT FIXED CHIEF - -•WHY ARE WE OUT OF FOR- MATION? -•PERSIAN GULF SUNSET 73

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MAJOR HENRY T. ELROD, USMC (DECEASED) M. .ajor Henry T. Elrod, U.S. Marine Corps, was born on September 27, 1905, in Turner County, Georgia. His residence is listed as Lone Star Gardens, Thomasville, Georgia. Shortly thereafter, he attended the University of Georgia and then Yale University until his father passed away in 1927. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in December, 1927, and was appointed a Marine Second Lieutenant in February, 1931. Following over a year at the Marine Corps Basic School in Philadelphia and at the Marine Barracks there as a student aviator. Lieutenant Elrod was ordered to the Naval Station, at Pensacola. Here he served as a company officer at the Naval Station, and as student aviator. In February, 1935, he won his wings and, as a Marine Aviator, was transferred to Quantico, where he served with a Marine Aircraft unit until January, 1938. In addition to his other duties, he was Squad- ron School, Personnel, and Welfare Officer. In July, 1938, Elrod went to San Diego for duty at the Naval Air Station and served as VF Squadron YM Material, Parachute, and Personnel officer. For VF Squadron 4M. In this squadron, the precursor of Marine Fighter Squadron 211 (VMF211), Captain Elrod flew Grumman F-3F biplane fighters. In Janaury 1941, VF Squadron 4M was transferred to Hawaii and was redesignated as VMF 211. Captain Elrod was assigned as Executive officer. Later that year VMF 211 began flying the new Grumman F4F Wildcat. This monoplane was powered by a single Pratt Whitney engine developing 200 horsepower. The aircraft were armed with four machine guns and 200 pounds of bombs. On December 4, 1941, Captain Elrod flew onto Wake Island with 12 aircraft, 12 pilots and the VMF 211 ground crew. Hostilities in the air over Wake Island commenced 8 December 1941. Captain Elrod was killed in action defending Wake Island against the invading Japanese on 23 December 1941. He was post humously promoted to Major and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. During the defense of Wake, Captain Elrod repeatedly displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty. On the 12th of December he single-handedly attacked a flight of 22 enemy planes and shot down two. On several flights he executed low altitude bombing and strafing runs on enemy ships, on one of these runs he became the first man to sink a major warship with small caliber bombs delivered from a fighter aircraft. When his plane was destroyed by hostile fire he organized a unit of ground troops into a beach defense and repulsed repeated Japanese attacks until he fell mortally wounded. While protecting his men who were carrying ammunition to a gun emplacement. On November 8, 1946, his widow was presented with the Medal of Honor, posthumously awarded to her husband for his heroic actions during the last bitter days of the defense of Wake. His widow is now Mrs. Elizabeth Carleson.