George was standing on deck of the USS HELENA, when a "disturbance" called his attention to another part of the ship. Seconds after he walked away, a bomb hit almost the very spot he had been standing.

He survived and accompanied the ship to California for repairs. While the ship was being repaired, he took leave and came home to Texarkana, his fianceé met him there and they married.

When he returned to California, they had installed the first radar of a Navy ship, on his ship. They returned to Hawaii and other ports until she was sunk in the battle of Kula Gulf in 1943. He served on another ship until the end of the war.

He had a few years of shore duty until he retired in San Diego in May 1949. Two days later he died in his sleep.

George Reamer YOUNG