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Richard · 02-11-2009, 20:57

Makes me wonder why my Dad, his brother, my Father-in-Law, and all the rest had to serve with this guy on the loose.

For some persepective on this guy:

In Jun 43, UDT training began in Fort Pierce, FL, in preparation for D-Day. They were sent to Europe in Nov 43...and the battle for Tarawa was also in Nov 43 on the other side of the world.
In October 1943, Mountbatten was put in charge of all British and American forces in South East Asia, where he remained until the end of the war as CBI CINC. How and why would a Brit award a Silver Star?
Patton was in England on 13 Jun 44. He didn't get to France until Aug 44.
The battle of the Philippine Sea (also known as The Marianas Turkey Shoot) was fought 19-20 Jun 44.
A regimental combat team of the 41st Division landed on Palawan Island on February 28, 1945.
The battle took place between February 19 and March 26, 1945.
The Franklin was an Essex Class carrier and earned four battle stars during the Pacific Campaign. On 19 March 1945, two bombs went through the flight deck and detonated in the hangar. It was the worst damage which any United States warship survived.

Gene was one busy guy!

Richard's $.02

http://www.legacy.com/theolympian/Ob...=SearchResults

Gene Franklin DeFord

Gene DeFord, WWII Veteran, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, February 6, 2009. He was 81 years old.
Gene was born April 26, 1927 in Ashland, Oregon, to the pioneer family of Byron Franklin DeFord and Addie Laura Cameron.

He attended Yelm High School. He volunteered for the Navy on his sixteenth birthday. Being 6' 4", he was counting on the fact that he would be accepted as old enough to join. That's exactly what happened.

In 1943, Gene traveled to England for training in the Underwater Demolition Team, what is now called the Navy Seals. Under Wild Bill Donovan, General in Command of the United States Office of Strategic Services, he saw service in most of the world during the war. During his UDT years, his team set several free-diving depth records.

At Normandy on June 8, 1944, Gene was cited for a Silver Star by General Ted Roosevelt. That same day he was cited for another Silver Star by Lord Louie Mountbatten. On June 13, 1944, he was again cited for a Silver Star by General George Patton. Gene believed he was the only 17-year-old to have ever received a triple Silver Star. "The water ran red with American Blood. Our team lost 95%. We were getting killed on the beach. I was not injured, but just a little tired," from Gene's memoirs.

Gene helped liberate prison camps and was proud to have been aboard the USS Franklin "Big Ben", the most decorated people in Naval history. He served on the islands of Tarawa and Iwo Jima during major battles. On October 24, 1944, Gene was engaged in the battle of the Philippine Sea on Palawan Island. He was severely injured and was cited for the Purple Heart.

Gene married Margie Haley in February 1947. They had five children.
He worked for the State of Washington Department of Natural Resources and Corrections Department, and was a volunteer firefighter and medic for North Olympia Fire Department.

02-11-2009, 20:57	#1
Richard Quiet Professional Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: NorCal Posts: 15,370	How Gene DeFord won WW2 Makes me wonder why my Dad, his brother, my Father-in-Law, and all the rest had to serve with this guy on the loose. For some persepective on this guy: In Jun 43, UDT training began in Fort Pierce, FL, in preparation for D-Day. They were sent to Europe in Nov 43...and the battle for Tarawa was also in Nov 43 on the other side of the world. In October 1943, Mountbatten was put in charge of all British and American forces in South East Asia, where he remained until the end of the war as CBI CINC. How and why would a Brit award a Silver Star? Patton was in England on 13 Jun 44. He didn't get to France until Aug 44. The battle of the Philippine Sea (also known as The Marianas Turkey Shoot) was fought 19-20 Jun 44. A regimental combat team of the 41st Division landed on Palawan Island on February 28, 1945. The battle took place between February 19 and March 26, 1945. The Franklin was an Essex Class carrier and earned four battle stars during the Pacific Campaign. On 19 March 1945, two bombs went through the flight deck and detonated in the hangar. It was the worst damage which any United States warship survived. Gene was one busy guy! Richard's $.02 http://www.legacy.com/theolympian/Ob...=SearchResults Gene Franklin DeFord Gene DeFord, WWII Veteran, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, February 6, 2009. He was 81 years old. Gene was born April 26, 1927 in Ashland, Oregon, to the pioneer family of Byron Franklin DeFord and Addie Laura Cameron. He attended Yelm High School. He volunteered for the Navy on his sixteenth birthday. Being 6' 4", he was counting on the fact that he would be accepted as old enough to join. That's exactly what happened. In 1943, Gene traveled to England for training in the Underwater Demolition Team, what is now called the Navy Seals. Under Wild Bill Donovan, General in Command of the United States Office of Strategic Services, he saw service in most of the world during the war. During his UDT years, his team set several free-diving depth records. At Normandy on June 8, 1944, Gene was cited for a Silver Star by General Ted Roosevelt. That same day he was cited for another Silver Star by Lord Louie Mountbatten. On June 13, 1944, he was again cited for a Silver Star by General George Patton. Gene believed he was the only 17-year-old to have ever received a triple Silver Star. "The water ran red with American Blood. Our team lost 95%. We were getting killed on the beach. I was not injured, but just a little tired," from Gene's memoirs. Gene helped liberate prison camps and was proud to have been aboard the USS Franklin "Big Ben", the most decorated people in Naval history. He served on the islands of Tarawa and Iwo Jima during major battles. On October 24, 1944, Gene was engaged in the battle of the Philippine Sea on Palawan Island. He was severely injured and was cited for the Purple Heart. Gene married Margie Haley in February 1947. They had five children. He worked for the State of Washington Department of Natural Resources and Corrections Department, and was a volunteer firefighter and medic for North Olympia Fire Department. __________________ “Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)… There are just some kind of men who – who’re so busy worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.” - To Kill A Mockingbird (Atticus Finch) “Almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.” - Robert Heinlein Last edited by Richard; 02-11-2009 at 21:31.
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