A family walks down the pathway toward the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier at Patriots Point, surrounded by American flags and calm waters.
A family walks down the pathway toward the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier at Patriots Point, surrounded by American flags and calm waters.
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Patriots Point to Remember Americans Killed in Battle of Okinawa With Memorial Service and Meet & Greet

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MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – On Thursday, April 16 at 11 a.m. a memorial service will be held at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa (April 1 – June 22, 1945).  During this largest amphibious operation in the Pacific theater during World War II, the Allied forces lost more than 12,000 men and 763 aircraft.  In addition, 34 U.S. Navy ships were sunk and another 368 damaged.

The memorial service will be held on the USS Laffey, which was positioned at Radar Picket Station #1 off Okinawa during the battle.   While at that location, the ship survived an attack from 22 Japanese kamikaze planes, earning the vessel the nickname “The Ship That Would Not Die.”  Thursday, April 16th will mark the 70th anniversary of the Laffey attack in which 32 crewmembers were killed

World War II veterans who fought in the Battle of Okinawa will participate in the 11 a.m. memorial service.  South Carolina Representative James E. Smith, Jr will be the guest speaker.  His grandfather, Paul B. Smith, was a gunnery officer during World War II on the USS Laffey.

At 1:30 p.m., World War II veterans will talk to visitors during a “Meet & Greet” session on the USS Yorktown. Veterans will include David Thomason (of Fountain Inn, SC) and Gordon Chambers (of Anderson, SC),  both of the USS Abele DD-733 (sunk during the battle); Brian Rowell (Mt. Pleasant, SC) of the USS Lindsey DM-32 (heavily damaged during at Okinawa);  Richard “Dick” Whitaker (Mt. Pleasant, SC) of the 6th Marine Division (ground forces) and Bill Watkinson (Charleston, SC), a Navy pilot assigned to the USS Yorktown VF-9 and VF-88 squadrons. Post-WWII veterans of the USS Laffey will also participate in the service and offer tours of their ship.

Both the Battle of Okinawa Memorial Service and the “Meet & Greet” session will be open to all visitors at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.  Normal admission rates will apply.  These events are part of Patriots Point’s ongoing efforts to commemorate the 70th anniversary of World War II.

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