HOWARD PAUL JENNINGS, CS1, born in Metter, GA Feb. 16, 1924, joined the USN, Feb. 18, 1943 and was assigned to the USS Washington June 18. 1946.serving as ships cook and achieving the rank of CS 1. While at sea he was on tin cans and saw all his action on USS Purdv 734. His most memorable experience was just being on the Washington. It was a thrill of a lifetime.

He was discharged Aug. 15, 1954 and received the American Theater Medal w/2 Stars, Asiatic-Pacific w/4 Stars, Good Conduct and the Unit Citation. He is now retired.

JOHN R. JOHNSON, WT2/C, born Aug. 29, 1922 in Chicago, IL, joined the USN, Sept. 10, 1943 and was assigned to the USS Washington when it got new bow in Bremerton. He was stationed with B Div. #2 fire room as WT2/c.

He received the Asiatic-Pacific w/6 Stars and the Philippine Liberation w/2 Stars. Johnson was discharged Dec. 4, 1945.

He married Marie C. Elliott Sept. 4, 1943 and they had two daughters, Carol and Kim and a son Elliott. They also had six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. His wife passed away Feb. 21, 1985 and he is now living in Sun City. He was employed as a carpenter for 45 years and is now retired.

CREIGHTON JONES, PFC, born April 9, 1925, in Little Springs, MS. He enlisted in the USMC on Aug. 20, 1943. After basic training he held the rank of PFC (L) (TA) and held weapons qualification as a rifle marksman. He was assigned to the USS Washington on May 12, 1944. He participated in actions at Marianas Islands, the attack on Philippine Island, raid on Manila Bay and the air strike against Okinawa Jima. Also air attacks against the Japanese Naval Fleet in San Bernardino Straits, Luzon Island and Palau Island. Creighton was an antiaircraft machine gun crewman. He was honorably discharged Oct. 27, 1945.

Employed by Johns-Manville for 33 years. Creighton married Daisy Joseph on May 11, 1946. They have two daughters, Ann and Theja and four granddaughters: Amanda, Halley, Cindy and Rikki.

Creighton died on Nov. 15, 1996 and is buried at Ozion Baptist Church in Franklin County, MS.

ELMO R. JONES, S1/C, born Aug. 14. 1920 in Ranger, TX, joined the USN Dec. 8, 1941 and was assigned to the USS Washington Jan. 4, 1942, as deck, leading seaman. He achieved the rank of S1/c.

While at sea he participated in all action the USS Washington was in. His memorable experiences include the Third Battle of Savo. He was discharged Sept. 17, 1945 and received 15 Battle Stars and all medals given to the USS Washington.

He married Helene Newell April 3, 1944. They have been married for 52 years. Jones is employed with the Molene Removal and Transportation Service.

WESLEY V. JOYNER, born June 20, 1920 in Fort Valley, GA, joined the USN Sept. 10, 1941 and was assigned to the USS Washington boarding Jan. 10, 1943 out from Key West. Served in the 2nd Div. and was stationed in North #2 turret. Transferred from the USS Washington to gunnery in September 1944.

Following the war, he worked at Inland Container in Macon, GA until he retired in 1980. Wesley and his wife, Ruby, enjoy living on the farm. In recent years, they have also enjoyed attending the USS Washington reunions.

Donald Dwayne Litton enlisted in the Navy on August 5, 1943. He was 17 years old, so his folks signed papers for him to go. He said he had to visit a dentist and get seven teeth filled before he left. Don was at Faragut, Idaho, for boot camp. He explained at one point when he had leave, he had gotten sick with scarlet fever and his crew mates carried him to the train bound for Pueblo, Colorado, his home. When he arrived home, he passed the scarlet fever to his brother.

Don mentioned that Eleanor Roosevelt visited their boot camp in 1943. Eleanor got around in those days and visited many places, as I (Don's wife, Mary Lou) saw a profile of her on PBS. Don was assigned to the USS Frontier AD25 at first then to the Battleship USS Washington BB56.

Some memories Don share a lot with me and our family, were the crossing of the Equator, a ceremony all first timers experienced. As the men went through the line to come up to King Neptune, they got a paddling. They had to kiss the belly button of a fat man with a very large tummy, smeared with all kinds of messy food including mustard, etc.

Another memory was going to the goody counter for geedunck and pogy-bait, candy and ice cream. He also remembered eating horse-cock on watch. Now that was a real treat.

Don was fireman 1C, so he worked in the engine room on the ship. At one time he remembered being in the shower all soaped up when the bell sounded for battle-stations, so he ran to his station all soaped up.

There was one night Don was on watch on deck and he slept next to a corpse. He also told of some wild weather they experienced such as the Typhoons at sea.

One tragic thing as Don was on watch in the engine room, time 0431, February 1, 1944, there was a collision at sea. During maneuvers off Kwajelein, both ships were in darkened conditions when the USS Indiana turned out of formation to refill destroyers. She pulled in Washington's path, demolished the bow somewhat and caused minor flooding. Repairs were completed and she was back in service by May 30. USS Washington was out to sea at one time for about 79 days. His mother said she had no contact until she saw the ship on a newsreel. It was coming into port, thank God.

Don also recalled seeing people jumping off cliffs on one island, whole families jumping and dying. These memories bothered him as he relived some of them, while on board ship.

He was very young as he went through all of this as all of his shipmates were. He served his country with honor and pride, hooding the Navy when he enlisted.

The medals he earned were: American Area Campaign, Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal, Philippine Liberation medal, and World War II Victory medal.

Don was honorably discharged on January 28, 1947 and came back to Pueblo Colorado (He said "back to God's country") and worked at the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company (now Rocky Mountain Steel Co.). He was a roll turner and became a turn foreman in 1962 until retirement in 1983.

Don married his soul-mate, Mary Lou, on February 23, 1952. They had seven children, two daughters and five sons, and a very wonderful, happy life together until he got colon cancer. Don fought his battle and went home to be with the Lord on November 15, 1995.

Don and May Lou enjoyed an occasional conversation with a 20-year neighbor and never realized that he also was a shipmate. After Don's death, Phillip Christenson saw in Don's obituary that he served on the USS Washington. Phillip called Mary Lou and told her that they had been shipmates. About six months later, Mary lou helped save Phillip, who was bed-ridden, by helping a friend pull him outside when their house caught fire.