Daddy entered service on April 23, 1943 in the Columbus, Mississippi. He signed up at the age of 15 1/2 for he was eager to join and at that time and location you did not need a birth certificate. During World War II, Daddy was aboard the LST-711 which was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and he participated in the following: Luzon operation; *Lingayen Gulf landing, 4 to 18 January 1945 Manila Bay and - Bicol operations; *Mariveles-Corregidor, 14 to 28 February 1945 Borneo operation *Tarakan Island operation, April and May 1945 Daddy was Honorable Discharge on December 15, 1945 and he received the following medals: *American Campaign Medal *Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3 Bronze Stars) *World War II Victory Medal *Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) *Philippine Liberation Medal I have been interviewing Dad for several months now and seem to become a quest or a mission of mine to gather as much information in what seemed to be a short period of time. Without a roster I had been looking on the internet trying to find any old shipmates that was on the LST 711(Landing Ship Tanks) as I could find. After several months of trying I was not able to contact anyone. Until now, I went on the internet and typed in LST 711 and up came Donald Sisco. Mr. Sisco talked to Dad for a short and sent me a note along with a couple pictures as well. The in turn I contacted Eldon Denney the brother of Edward Denney another shipmate of Dad’s. Well, when I received a package of pictures as well as information from Russell Davis I showed Daddy. He said, “Susie, you know who is missing from this reunion picture?” I said, “No Daddy!”. He said, “Me!” So I got up the nerve to call each one and talked to them as well as they talked to my Dad. The look on my Dad’s face and the tears they would flow down his face. He was not left behind, they did not forget him, they were looking for him. I called them one by one… Junker, Everhart, Johnson, Wilcox, Kingery and Reece. What should I say, as I sit down at my desk? Would they think that I was trying to sell them something? Would they think I was pulling a scam? Lord, please let someone remember Dad! I talked to Everhart and Junker. Junker was the first to say, “Ya, I remember your Dad!” I was almost in tears and I was shaking. “O my God, he remembers Daddy!” As I walked down to the den, I would hand out the cordless phone to Dad and say, “Daddy, here is one of your old shipmates from the LST 711 on the phone wanting to talk to you.” I would see the surprise look in his face and a twinkle in the corner of his eye ad he was ready to travel back in time to the days of youth. They would exchange the pleasantries of when and where were you discharged? How many kids do you have? Did you marry? And do you remember? Then they would settle down to more serious stories. Stories of the monkey and of the LST 711 being stuck in the mud in Borneo. As I sit watching and listening to Dad, he was straining to talk, cause he would not put the oxygen mask back on for fear he would miss hearing something or they would not be able to understand him. Finally I would give him that look to let him know he needs that mask on. Dad said to one shipmate it was a blessing to be able to talk to him and God is not thru with him, even with all his medical problems I finished the conversations letting them know how appreciative I was to able to talk to them and we will talk in the future. Daddy had a Reunion.