Rank and Name, Aviation Radioman Third Class Merrill Hadley Atwell Jr.
Unit/Placed in, Bomber Squadron 85 (VB-85), United States Naval Reserve.
Merrill is born approx. on 22 Aug. 1924 in Eden, Vermont.
Father, Merrill H. Atwell Sr.
Mother, Marjorie C. (Coan) Atwell.
Sister(s), Elanor J. Atwell.
Brother(s), Richard J. Atwell.
Merrill enlisted the service in Connecticut with service number # 8073924.
Merrill’s Crew-members and their position on-board the plane a Curtiss SB2C Helldiver were,
Ltjg. Robert W. Elmore Pilot
Arm3. Merrill H. Atwell Jr. Radio Operator/Gunner
Merrill was KIA on the Mission to Kikai Shima when it was hit by AA and crashed offshore Wan Airfield on 29 April 1945, he is honored with a Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Expeditionary Medal, American Campaign Medal, Navy & Marine Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.
Merrill is buried/mentioned at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu County, Hawaii U.S.A.
Courts of the missing.
Thanks to,
Jean Louis Vijgen, WW2-Pacific Website.
Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.
ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov
Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org
POW Info, http://www.mansell.com Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.
Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org
Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/ Geoffrey Roecker
Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/
Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org
Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/
Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com
4/19/1945 FG-1D 76484 VBF-85 USS SHANGRI-LA (CV-38) ENR OKINAWA EMPIRE
Lt.(jg) Robert Elmore