Pinckney (DDG 91) - Naval Cruise Book

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Q 1' r m Qburing the seconcf homh attach, a jifoe-inch sheff expfocfecf in the magazine 'Wifham was manning, Qfhng four Saifors instant61 ancfhnoclnng him unconscious. 'When he came to, 'Wifliamfouncf the magazine ahfaze ancffuffqfsmohe. Teehng his way out, he stumhkcf upon Qunner's Mate james Bagwefh who was ahve hut too weaha to chmh up the facfckr to escape. jllthough tafier ancf at kast twenty pounifs heavier than Q9inchJney, 'Wifham threw Bagweffofoer his shonfcfer ancfstartecf to chmh. jfln electricafcahk tonchecfQ9inclQney ana' he was thrown hach, once again hnockcfunconscious. 'When Wifham regainecf consciousness, he jhearkssb grahhecf fBagweff a seconcf time ancfsuccessfnf61 macfe his way up the facfcfer ancfefoentuafbf into the hangar hay. Once Qunner's Mate Bagweff was saw, Qnnchney went hach afown into the magazine, ignoring the hurns that hacf tahen the s,Qn of his hanchs, right leg, ancf hach fighting smohe ancfjhre, he woufcfonfy return from the space severaf minutes fater after conjhrming the cfeaths ofthe others insicfe. We then coffapsecf ancf was treatecf 3

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1 GBM: or Rags to his friends, was a guiet man. lf you were ashed to pichhim out of a crowd as one rf on6f four ,flfrican flmericans to receive the Navy Cross 171 'Wvffvfwar Two, odds are you might pichhim fast. Onhz proud to serve in the Navy, he never tafhedahout medals or awards. Unassuming, he was just a man that afways tried to do the right thing in his hje, and succeeded Wifham Qginchdney was horn in QDale, South Carohna, on jlprif 2 7 th, 1915, to Renty and jenny Qnnchney. Ms father struggled to get hy as a carpenter on the many shrimp hoats in the Geaufort area. Giffs mother passed when he was eight years ofd and his ohher sisten Ethel raised him. jljhew years fater Biff woufd drop out of schoof and start wormng himsefyf on61 Jhnishing the seventh grade. Todowing in his father's footsteps, he worhled as a carpenter afong the waterfront, eventuafhf partnering with his hrother-in-faw prior to joining the Navy. 'Whik attenchng Kohert Tails Elementary School Giffdidmahe one important diSCO'U6131.' Henrietta. Henrietta Qnnchney was yhve years younger than Gift hut they formed a friendship that woufd grow into a hjhztime fove. He woufdash Henrietta to her 'hrst dance when she was vhjheen and they were married eight years fater at the Geaufort courthouse on Novemher 6th, 1943. On jflugust 3rd 193 8, 'Wifham Tinchney joined the Navy to see the worfd He attended hoot camp at great Lahes, Ifhnois, and then reported to the aircrcyft carrier USS f9V7Jf9iT9U5f fC'V 62 GS Cl Coolicwier completing 2'4 School He served on the EN?1'ERQ3QUSQ5for three years, fit the Qattfe QfSanta Cruz on Octoher 26th, 1942, the Carrier U55 H OQUVU-iff C 'V 8j was sunhand the ENTERGXWRISQS woufd he hit twice hy japanese 5011155 lufhng 44 Saifors and having 75 wounded It was here that 'Wifham Tinchney woufd earn the Navy Crogg and Qurpie Heart for his actions. 2 1,: . .

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-1,-1 . I ' ' . ' I I gy g . When guestionecfahout the incufent 'Wifham . A, s aispfayeef his tracfemarhmocfesty saying, 'Wefh I Chff 1 ,ii it ' nap e aaa are emfieefe. ff when eseeaeeout 1 'J I l W Y 1 a returning into the 'Ere after saving fBagwefL aff he Z , fffif v- 'P 4 , . 52,1 iifg51ai5: 11f,1 7zig 4,.' , ' ' iwouhi say is, f1Q2h, I guess that's ahout right. 'When ' .H I lx Kggszz N X , I ..T ,. JA Vrll , nal A v . l I I ' the jhrst guy seemecf to he surviving pretty goocf I 1 5 went hefow to see I couhfhehv someone else hut they 'f were affmhecfancff coufcfn 't help anyone. ff Winchney was treatecf for shrapnef wounck ancf3rcf chgree hurns in Hawaii. 'Whik there he negotiateaf orders ancf spent the remaincfer of his eight years in the H Havy at the Goat Q3asin in San QDiego, Cahfornia. He 1 1 returned home to marry Henrietta ancf the two movecf L n , to Oceansiaei hhhh CahfornialMUn june 30th, 1946 Wifham kft the service as a Cooh Tirst Cfass. He ancf Henrietta movecf from Oceansicfe to Groohlyn, New flforhb where Q3iff joined the Merchant Marine and Henrietta worhea' as a tekphone operator 'Wifham servecf for 26 years in Merchant Marine as a coohon such ships as the !lTQQIC!lWMOOHancfSIQQjOHWTQQZIWZQLIH 1 He was an active Mason ancfmemher cf the American Legion in New flforh jlfter retiring, the two movecf hachl to Q3eaufort. 'Wifham Qpinchney passecf away in his home on ju61 - 21st, 19 76 after a two-year struggk with spinaf cancer He is huriecf at pfot numher 3381 in the Geaufort HationafCemete1y. Henrietta Tinchney, who stiffhves in fBeaufort, survives him. T hey have no chihfren. Mockst throughout his hje, very jaw photos o 'Wifliam are avaifahle. Even at his own wecfthng no I photos were tahen. He never spohe ahout his time in the Wavy or the ineiefent in which he savecfjames Qiagweffs hfe. jls far as Henrietta is aware Wifham may have never hnown the identity cj the man he carriecf to the hangar: hay that fatefuf cfay. When questionecfahout his time in the service, Giffwoufcfwen tear up sa in on61 that he was 'proucf to serve'C Thisis now the motto of the ship that hears his cg Hamer the U55 QDIWCKWEYKUDQUQ 91 j currentiy heing huihf in Qascagoufa Mississippi. ' . V4