On the road

On the road

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Profiles Spring-Summer 2014 HFDFW


 

Fay enlisted into the U.S. Navy on June 24, 1942 at the age of 17.

After basic training, Fay went to advanced training in the Navy’s Mine Warfare School in Yorktown, Virginia. 

After this training, he was transferred to the destroyer U.S.S. Preston, DD-379, and sailed to the South Pacific.

That Fall the Preston was heavily engaged for the battle for the Solomon Islands that included Guadalcanal. During what was called the Battle for Savo Island, the Preston was hit by a Japanese torpedo at about 23:00 hours on November 14, 1942. The ship sank quickly, with Fay being among the survivors. There were about 120 sailors lost from the Preston. Fay spent 14 hours in the oil soaked sea before being rescued.

Fay was then transferred to the ammunition ship, U.S.S. Sangay. The Sangay was the ship that was involved in the situation in San Francisco where African-American sailors refused to load ammunition onto the ship. Civilian longshoremen had to be brought in to finally load the ship.

The Sangay was involved in several actions, including the invasion of the island of Peleliu in September, 1944.

Fay was among many who received a commendation from the navy for the hard work on the island of New Caledonia from December, 1942 to November, 1943 for assembling hundreds of mines for the Navy.

Fay was discharged from the Navy on December 8, 1945 with the rank of Mineman, 1st Class.  

 

No comments:

Post a Comment