Epperson (DD 719) - Naval Cruise Book

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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,

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' hi Aff ' ?'1 ' -1- .LS.L.1-.44 ' . v ' ' ' ' ' :-'nr v- -'-P-'A----v--YA -v Q -..-,nk-L. -,-., ,,..v. ., ' - - - . . . , + , -I-ESQ' 13- in -51fqinffvs.-....,a..f.f....,-,.......aQ.w t.-.... ....,,-,1: Sl1ddCY11Y 8 Japanese soldier, assumed to be dead, sprang up and hurled a powerful hand grenade into the emplacement. Determined to save his comrades, Private First Class Epperson unhesitatingly chose to sacrifice himself and, diving upon the deadly missile, absorbed the shattering violence of the exploding charge in his own body. Stout-hearted and indomitable in: the face of certain death, Private First Class Epper- son fearlessly yielded his own life that his able comrades might carry on the relentless battle against a ruthless enemy, and his superb valor and unfaltering devotion to duty throughout reflect the highest credit upon himself and upon the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country. .i..1. MEMORIAL T0 A HERO The building of the United States Ship EPPERSON was awarded originally to the Fed- eral Ship building' and Drydock Company in Kearny, New Jersey, for construction during World War 11. On the 20th of June 1945 her keel was laid at that yard, from which was to spring one of the first DDE typeships in the U.S. Navy. ' On 22 December of the same year the ship was launched in an incomplete condition and the hull, mothballed andwith many large items of equippage stowed aboard in crates, w., ',.', gcred to the New York Naval Shipyard. H ln December of the following year, 1946, Bath .Iron Works Corporation was awarded the contract for completion of the vessel, however, with many changes in armament and equipment which distinguishes the ship as a DDE as compared to the normal 692 class destroyer for which it had originally been intended. After much delay, while new plans were drawn up and discussed, the ship was finally delivered, complete, to Boston Naval Shipyard on 18 March 1949. . The day after arriving at Boston the U.S.S. EPPERSON QDDE 7191 was commissioned with Commander Terrill H. W. CONNOR the first commanding officer. 1 V Operating on the East Coast of 'the United States, the vessel underwent extensive sea trials and ship alterations which must follow the commission of all new vessels of the fleet. The U.S.S. EPPERSON, with its sister ship the U.S.S. BASILONE fDDE 8241 was the first ship of its type to have been built. It is primarily designed for ASW escort duties, having the most modern submarine detection devices, weapons and ASW battery fire control equipment. H ' What more fitting monument than this could be made to the undying spiritof a gallant warrior of the U.S. Marine Corps. 1 n ' 4