JOHN EDWIN MCELROY

Branch of Service or Wartime Activity: U.S. Navy (Motor Torpedo Boats)

Veteran or Civilian: Veteran

Highest Rank: Captain, USNR

Passed military physical on November 15, 1941 in Pampa, Texas.

Appointed Seaman Recruit on December 10, 1941 (date of oath into the U.S. Naval Reserve).

Appointed Seaman Apprentice, Class V-7 (after completing the one-month training): April 11, 1942

Appointed Midshipman: May 15, 1942

Appointed Ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve after graduation from the V-7 Navy College Training Program: August 3, 1942

Appointed Lieutenant Junior Grade: December 3, 1942

Appointed Lieutenant: April 2, 1944

Appointed Lieutenant Commander: July 15, 1951

Appointed Commander: January 1, 1956

Appointed Captain: September 1, 1962

Retired from the U.S. Naval Reserve: June 9, 1977.

Commissioned, Enlisted, or Drafted: Enlisted (12/10/1941); Commissioned (8/2/1942)

Unit, Division, Battalion, Group, Ship, etc.:

WORLD WAR II

United States Pacific Fleet/South Pacific Force/Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 9 (PT-154 & PT-161).

NOTE: RON 9 was commissioned on November 10, 1942 under the direction of LCDR Robert B. Kelly.

PT-161: John E. McElroy served as Boat Captain from 11/28/1942 to 1/10/1944 with rank of LT.(jg).

PT-154: John E. McElroy served as Executive Officer from 11/13/1942 to 12/2/1942 with rank of Ensign.

PT-161 & PT-154 were Elco 80 wood (mahogany) boats.

War, Operation, or Conflict Served In: World War II, Korean War

Locations of Service:

WORLD WAR II

South Pacific/Southwest Pacific/Solomon Islands: Noumea, New Caledonia; Espiriru Santo, New Hebrides; Tulagi; Rendova; Lever Harbor, New Georgia; Vella Lavella; Treasury Island; Cape Torokina, Bougainville (all in the Solomon Islands).

KOREAN WAR

Recalled to active duty on March 17, 1951.

March 17, 1951-March, 1952: NRS & Office of Naval Officer Procurement, San Francisco, California;

March, 1952-March, 1953: NRS & Office of Naval Officer Procurement, Albuquerque, New Mexico;

April, 1953-April, 1955: Naval Station NCSO, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba;

Battles/Campaigns:

SOLOMON ISLANDS: New Georgia (December 9, 1942-January 24, 1943); Rennell Island (January 29-30, 1943); Russell Islands (February 21, 1943); Battle of the Bismarck Sea (March 2-4, 1943); Battle of Blackett Strait (March 6, 1943); Landings on New Georgia (June 30, 1943-August 5, 1943); Battle of Kula Gulf (July 5-6, 1943); Battle of Kolombangara (July 12-13, 1943); Battle of Horaniu (August 18, 1943); Battle of Vella Lavella (October 6, 1943); Attack on Bougainville (October 17, 1943); Battle of Gazelle Bay (November 1-2, 1943); and Battle of Cape St. George (November 26, 1943).

Medals or Special Service Awards:

Silver Star

Armed Forces Reserve Medal-Naval Reserve

American Campaign Medal

American Theater Medal

Asia-Pacific Theater Medal with 4 Stars

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal

National Defense Service Medal

Navy Good Conduct Medal

World War II Victory Medal

Special Duties, Highlights, or Accomplishments:

Served as PT Boat Captain and PT Boat Squadron Section Leader in the Solomon Islands under the leadership of LCDR Robert B. Kelly (1942-1944);
Assisted in the interrogation of the natives who found JFK (Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana worked with Australian coastwatcher Sub-Lieutenant Arthur R. Evans);
Assisted in the rescue of John F. Kennedy’s PT-109 crew from Plum Pudding Island (PT-161 & 171 provided off-shore protection as PT-157 picked up PT-109 survivors);
Awarded the Silver Star Medal for Conspicuous Gallantry in Action at Rabaul Harbor (July 2-3, 1943) and South Vella Gulf (July 23-24, 1943) in the Solomon Islands;
Served as Seamanship Instructor at the U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen’s School at the University of Notre Dame (1944-1945);
Established naval recruiting office in Albuquerque, NM (1953) for the Office of Naval Officer Procurement (San Francisco, CA). Served as Officer-in-Charge, Navy Recruiting Station & ONOP;
Graduate of U.S. Navy School, Naval Justice (1952);
Gold Medal Winner in Men’s Doubles Tennis (Championship of Section Eight of the Eighth Naval District 1952 Tennis Tournament);
Served as Naval Control of Shipping Officer & Assistant Port Control Officer of the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (1953-1955);
Served as Commanding Officer of several U.S. Naval Reserve units (1963-1973);
Member of Toastmasters Club in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (1953-1955);
Appointed to rank of Captain in the United States Naval Reserve on September 1, 1962 (A February 21, 1963 letter from Charles H. Lyman, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy Commandant, Eighth Naval District states: “It is particularly gratifying to me to know that a member of the Eighth Naval Reserve District Program has been selected for promotion under the present-day limitations on numbers of officers in grade. Limitations are so severe and competition so keen that you may be justly proud of your accomplishment. The task of selection is so difficult that only the “best fitted” and outstanding Naval Reserve officers are selected for promotion to the rank of Captain.”;
February 14, 2001 burial with full military honors at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.

Was the Veteran a Prisoner of War? No

Did the Veteran Sustain Combat or Service Related Injuries? No

Dad’s address at Midshipman’s School (1942): Room 518, Abbott Hall, 430 E. Huron Street, Chicago, Illinois.

John E Mcelroy