GEORGE BRUNS DENNIS, FC 3/C, born Sept. 24, 1920, Macbeth, SC, joined the USN Dec. 19, 1940, and was assigned to the USS Washington.

Station/job on ship: Fire control #1 turret, Crows Nest. Participated in all action through 1944.

Memorable experiences: Crossing the International Dateline, sinking of the Japanese battleship Kirishima and destroyer Ayanami. Plank owners group, first men assigned before commission of ship.

Discharged Feb. 1, 1947. Dennis was awarded the Philippine Liberation Medal w/2 stars, Asiatic-Pacific Medal w/10 stars, American Area Medal, African European Medal w/l star, American Defense Medal, WWII Victory Medal and Good Conduct Medal.

He married the former Ruth Barden Sept. 8, 1946. They have three children, seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren He is a retired firefighter and presently lives in Macbeth, SC.

RUSSELL B. DeWITT, GM 2/C, born Jan 16, 1924, Jackson, MI, joined the USN Feb. 11, 1941, and was assigned to the USS Washington in April 1941. Station/job on ship: Right gun, rammerman.

He participated in all action up to January 1945 and was discharged Nov. 11, 1945.

His memorable experiences: Transferred at sea to oil tanker Kankakee and Indiana collision.

He and his wife, Jeane, have 12 children. Presentry retired after 38 years with Consumers Power Co. where he served as vice president of nuclear operations.

HARRY C. DOUGLAS, born Nov. 3, 1921, Warroad, MN, joined the USMC in July 1942. Trained in San Diego, shipped out to the South Pacific 1st Marine Amphibious Corp. He vividly remembers the first night patrol on a lonely stretch of beach. The Washington needed three replacements in the Marine Detachment. He started in the 5.38 mount #1 where he spent the Christmas of 1942, 1943 and 1944 which covered much of the South Pacific Operation. There were several instances that strayed from the norm. Several times they had problems with faulty ammunition while firing. Backing the ammo out of the hot gun and getting it down to the main deck and over the side was a task with the 16" and 5" firing broadside. Another time when they were entering a lagoon for night anchorage the Washington was the last ship through the torpedo net. They assumed a small submarine followed them in and damaged one ship nearby. They were in a small boat searching for any source of the explosion. Were called in before night fall or any friendly fire. Unusual riding out the typhoon on their return to the Task Force after their new bow replacement.

Seeing their flag on Mount Suribachi most memorable, and the most disappointing was at Okinawa where his two friends that came aboard the Washington in 1942 were transferred out. Went down the South China coast to the Philippines and eventually home.

Douglas was honorably discharged Oct. 10, 1945. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, two Silver Campaign Stars, Bronze Campaign Star, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. Philippine Liberation Ribbon and Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

He and his wife have one son. Douglas is presently retired.

DUANE C. DUKE, CAPT, while awaiting reassignment after the sinking of USS Northhampton (CA26) at Guadalcanal Dec. 1, 1942, and a couple of months at COMSOPAC in Noumea, New Caledonia boarded the USS Washington (BB-56) in March 1943. His duty as an ensign was in the Radio Div. (CR) as a communications watch officer. With COMBATDIV 6 (Adm. Lee) aboard, the decoding and encoding of messages were very active.

With the collision of the Washington and the Indiana in 1944 he became the radio officer and assistant communications officer as well as the CR Div. Officer.

Just after returning to Bremerton, WA in July 1945 he received orders to Adm. Good's staff (COMCRUDIV 6) as flag lieutenant which read to proceed immediately to his flagship overseas in the Pacific Theatre. Left the Washington in August 1945.

Retired from the USN in March 1975 as captain with 32 years longevity.

ANTHONY WILLIAM ELLIOTT, MM 3/C, born July 25, 1924. Albuquerque, NM, joined the USN Sept. 14, 1942, and was assigned to the USS Washington in April 1943.

Station/job on ship: #1 machine space, operate and maintain ship's engine and its auxiliaries, M Div. Participated in the Pacific operations from November 1943-May 1945. His memorable experiences: Equator crossing initiation July 13, 1943, and the Washington-Indiana collision.

He was awarded the WWII Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal w/2 Bronze Stars, Good Conduct Medal and Asiatic-Pacific Area Medal w/9 stars. Elliott was discharged Jan. 13, 1946. He is a retired mechanical engineer.

AUSTIN A.J. ELLIOTT, born June 20, 1924, Lawrence County, IN, enlisted in the USN in January 1942 and was assigned to the Washington in June 1942. On Aug. 23, 1942, left for the South Pacific. Was assigned to gunnery 3rd Div., turret #3 as a gun pointer. Participated in all major actions and the sinking of Japanese battleship Kirishima.

Authorized to wear Pacific Service Ribbon w/ 12 Bronze Stars, Philippine Liberation Ribbon w/2 Bronze Stars. He remembers the typhoons they were in October and November 1944.

He was married March 22, 1944. After 20 day leave went back for 18 months and was discharged Oct. 13, 1945.

He has three daughters, three sons-in-law, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. He and his wife have been married for 53 years. Retired in June . 1988 and spends winters in Zapata, TX and summers in Indiana. God bless the USS Washington and crew.

GEORGE EARL EVANS JR., SN 2/C, born July 10, 1920, Richmond, VA, joined the USN Nov. 21, 1941, and was assigned to the USS Washington Dec. 11, 1941.

Station/job on ship: 2nd Div. Action while at sea included Murmansk run in 1942, Iceland, Scapa Flow, and South Pacific. He was injured in late 1942.

Memorable experiences: Being injured and left the BB-56 and going to USHS Solace to Fiji (Fantaw Project). Was stabilized and then back to Solace and the States. Was at Treasure Island Hospital until he could fly to Bethesda, MD (USNH) July 23, 1943. Was discharged on July 18, 1944, as 1008 disabled.

Evans was awarded the American Theater Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, European and African Campaign Medal.

He married the former Pearle Paulson, Y 3/c, Sept. 9, 1944. Evans passed away April 9, 1993. Submitted by Pearle Evans.

DOUGLAS E. FAIRBANKS JR., CAPT, born Dec. 9, 1909 in New York, NY, joined the USN in 1941 and was assigned to USS Washington March April 1942. Served as flag lieutenant, Iceland and Scapa Flow, Scotland.

His memorable experiences includes writing "A Hell of A War.

Upon completion of training and passing examinations he was commissioned a lieutenant (jg), USNR, 1940-41. Proceeded through the ranks to full commander (1945). Released to inactive duty in Reserve (February 1946).

Served in United States Coastal (Atlantic) waters; North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans; Newfoundland; Norwegian and North Russian Coast; Mediterranean, Adriatic and Aegean Seas; Enlish Channel; North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt); Malta; Italy (Sicily, Sardinia, Salemo, Naples, Anzio, Ischia, Capri, Procida, Bari, Pontine, and South Italian group of Islands); Yugoslavia (Island of Vis and Dalmatian Coast); Corsica; Elba; Gibraltar; Greece, France; Great Britain

He was awarded the Silver Star Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Service Cross, Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion d' Honneur, Croix de Guerre w/Palm, Letter of Commendation, USNR Medal w/8 Stars, American Defense Medal, American Theater Medal w/Star, EAME Campaign Medal w/6 Stars, USN Expert Pistol Shot Medal, Distinguished Public Service Award from the Navy League of the US presented by the Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable John Dalton.

He married Lucille Le Suer (Joan Crawford) June 1924 and they were divorced in 1934; Mary Lee Epling April 22, 1939, died Sept. 14, 1988; Vera Lee Shelton, May 30, 1991.

He has children: Daphne Fairbanks, Victoria Fairbanks and Melissa Fairbanks and has grandchildren: Anthony Fairbanks-Weston, Natasha Fairbanks Weston, Dominick Fairbanks-Weston, Barend Van Gerbig; Elizabeth Van Gerbig, Crystal Morant and Joseph Morant and great-grandchildren : Aislinn Fairbanks-Weston, Georgina Fairbanks-Weston and Benjamin Fairbanks-Weston. He is a retired actor, producer and writer.

WILLIAM B. FARGO, CAPT, born June 1916 in Oregon and was raised in Los Angeles. He attended UCLA and graduated 1939 from the Naval US Academy. His duty assignments include: 1939, Arizona (BB 36), junior watch and division officer; 1940, Manley APD-1 ,communications officer; 1941, Washington (BB-56), watch and F Div. officer, Secondary Battery, fire control officer, main battery spot one, air defense officer, finally first lieutenant; OOD when RADM Wilcox lost over the side. Last officer plank-owner to leave the ship after 5 1/2 years. Ensign to lieutenant commander. Attended US Naval Academy in 1946, company officer; 1948 Richard B. Anderson (DD-786), executive officer; 1950 COMSERVPAC, force gunnery officer; 1952 Ozbouvn (DD-846), commanding officer (Korean War); 1954, Roanoke (CL-145), executive officer; 1959, Office of CNO, OP 90; 1961, Platte (AO-24), commanding officer; 1962, COMSERVGRU THREE, Japan, chief of staff; Commander Task Group 73.1, Vietnam; 1965, Fleet Training Center, San Diego; Commanding officer. 1969 retirement, started and operated Fargo Travel Service and Faraway Travel, San Diego for 18 years.

He was awarded the Legion of Merit, Combat V, Bronze Star, Combat V, Meritorious Service Medal, miscellaneous campaign area and foreign awards. In 1941 he married Lucia Morgan who died in 1959. Later married Helen Boulton. He has three children: Thomas Fargo, VADM, USN, and COMFIFTH FLT, Bahrain; Barbara Fargo, attorney, San Jose, CA; Keith Fargo, CAPT (SC) USN, Naval Supply Center, San Diego, and five grandchildren.

He is happy to have had such a long, exciting, rewarding and satisfying service in the USN, shared with hundreds of close friends and fine shipmates.

ROBERT J. FRASER, FC3/C, born Nov. 18, 1925 in Milwaukee, WI, joined the USN, Sept. 8, 1943 and was assigned to USS Washington May 1944, serving in fire control tower, maintaining FC equipment. He achieved the rank of FC3/c.

While at sea he participated in air strikes on Philippines, Taiwan. Japan. Battle of Leyte Gulf, bombardment of Iwo Jima, Okinawa and many air attacks.

His memorable experiences include typhoon of December 1944; seeing carriers Franklin and Bunker Hill burning; seeing a lady wave a big US Flag as they approached Bremerton on the day they arrived in US from the Pacific.

Fraser was discharged December 1946 and received six Battle Stars, Asiatic-Pacific, Philippine Liberation, American Theater, Good Conduct and Victory Medals.

He retired after working as civilian with Department of Defense and now does volunteer work. He married Mary Ann Killius June 1956 and they have one son, Tom and one grandson, Alex.