Epperson (DD 719) - Naval Cruise Book

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DEDICATION Across the decks of our ship have trod hun- dreds of men. Each one has made his con- tribution to our Navy, our ship and to our life on board the Epperson. To -those men who rode the waves before us, to the men who fin the wonderful ex- perience of this cruise with us, and to the men who will someday roam the world aboard the proud ship Epperson, we humbly dedicate this book. ' I 11 I l I I -1 V IJWM iw .. , 7 - . f - .ZF-JT: if .'1'.. Ti .,.,,.,.,.,.-.,.-v--v-1, H. ,. n 5. 7-yy: ,:fU,Yy,:V',,g gg ,,,' 3' ', ,.. 1,5-, , , , ., , . -t . V 1...-Q ,. .,...... ,-,L...i.i..,.-1,1-.i..,....i. . ..- ,. .i ..,. , .,.....-,:,,.4::..v...-.ir....-.,..,..1 ..... ..,,.. .,1..s ' ss. 1,.,.-W

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,,,. -M -,.... . , .,,. Agua. 5, 3,-J hilt: A-L:-,Q i g It Y i wmv.-C , mvagml-v -AV I - 1-'-.fn:qrnn.:.x...nr--, 713j -.5 ,, V- :GL THE STORY OF HAROLD GLENN EPPERSON Harold Glenn EPPERSON was born on the 14th of July 1923 in the big rubber city of Akron, Ohio. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jonett B. EPPERSON, worked hard to raise their children and make ends meet during the slow dreary years of the depression which followed the post World War I boom. Like millions of other average American fami- lies who were beginning to know better times under the guidance of Franklin Roosevelt, the EPPERSONS were filled with anxiety and bewilderment at the mad whirl of war which followed in the wake of the 7th of December 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor. After a year of the new war had passed, and the .American armies were still being de- feated on all fronts, Harold EPPERSON, who had by now reached the draft age, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves on 12 December 1942 in Cleveland, Ohio. When he was sent to Marine Corps Training at Camp Elliott, San Diego, California, his mother and father, little doubting but that their son would return home to them again, were only proud that their boy was able and willing to serve his country in the interests of freedom and world peace. , By 15 May 1943, however, Private EPPERSON was in the-field aiding the American forces in their campaign to ward off the Japanese offensive in the Pacific. On the 6th of f 1943 EPPERSON was promoted to Private First Class and in November of that year was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for his part in the i:'..,-.-v of the Gilbert Islands. V After receiving this honor, Pfc EPPERSON continued to do his part in the 'battle for the Pacific, until on 25 June 1944, during the invasion of the island of Saipan in the Marianas Islands, this gallant hero of the Asiatic Pacific Campaign gave his life on the battle scarred beach. I For his meritorious service in the Battle of Saipan, Private First Class Harold Glenn EPPERSON was awarded posthumously the M citation: ' EDAL OF HONOR with the following 'IF or conspicuous gallantry -and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the First Battalion, Sixth Marines, Second Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese Forces on the Island of Saipan in the l Marianas on 25 June 1944. With his machine-gun emplacement bearing the ful 7 brunt of a fanatic assault initiated by the Japanese under cover of pre-dawn darkg ness, Private First Class Epperson 'manned his weapon with determined aggressive- ness, fighting furiously in defense of his battalioifs position and maintaining a , . . . - stead stream of 'devastating fire against rapidly infiltrating hostile troops to ai ma- Y . terially in annihilating several of the enemy and in breaking the abortive attack. f Ta- .1 9 - I' Q 'il 1I I I 1 I I 1 I II ,I I I 11' I 1 I I 1 1 Il LII I II I I 1 I 1 1 A 1 I 1.1 I , . I 1I III . KI Ii' ,1t1 I1 111. III 1,1 1 ,1 1 M., I 'II ft ,lm :III I 1 , , I I 1 1 1 I Q I 1 I 1 1 1' I . ' I I Q 1. I 1 . I 1 In I I . I ' E 1 I 1 I I 1 I I 1 . I ,1 , I I . 3 FII 1 J I II I II. 'II' W,