CO/M jV) £NDAT JON
It took over ei§ht years but BMC
Joseph Toderick, attached to Ships
Division of the Operations Department
of the Naval Station here has finally
received his Naval Commendation Ribbon
and Medal#
Chief TODERICK had made application
for the medal and ribbon to which he
was entitled over eight years ago but
had never received it# Another letter
was sent by MilPers and it arrived last
week.
^ His commendation which entitles him
fc to the medal reads:
U. S. S# BENHAM (DD 397), BATTLE OF
MIDWAY# Commended for courage, devotion
to duty, and unselfishness show? in
actual combat with the enemy; in going
overboard several times to assist in
reaching survivors of the U.S,S # HAMMOND
(DD411) and U.S.S. YORKTOWN (CV7) from
the oily seas, while exposed to air and
submarine attack respectively; and in
caring for the survivors on board,
7/18/46, The Commander in Chief, of
the United States Pacific Fleet, takes
pleasure in commending JOSEPH TODERICK,
S2, U# S# Navy, for services set forth
^ in the following CITATION: "For cons*
* picuous devotion to duty while serving
in the U. S. S. BEMHAM (DD-397) in the
Battle of Midway on 6 June 1942# With
utter disregard for his own personal
safety he plunged overboard from the U#
S.S# BENHAM immediately after the HAMM-*
QND and YORKTOWN were torpedoed, and in
seas strewn with debris and thick with
oil, swam to the aid of severely injur
ed personnel of these ships. By his
courage, personal daring,and determin
ation, he towed many injured men to
safety. His courage and unselfish dev
otion to duty assisted in the rescue of
about one hundred eighty-eight officers
and men and his actions were in-keeping
with the highest traditions of the U*S,
Naval Service.
s/j. H. TOWERS
Admiral, U#S. Navy
Alfred J« PALMER10, ACAN Operations
Rec. Fm.: NATTU, 01 the, Kansas j|
Hometown: Punxsutawney, Pa* 1
Terrence L» BROADMAN, AN Operations
Received from: HAS, North Island, Calif.
Hometown: Little Vally, N.Y.
Phillip R. NEWKIRK, AG2 Operations
Rec* Fm.: Fleet Weather Central, Miami
Hometown: Moline, Illinoia
James L, FLEMING, AC2 Operations
Rec. fm.: Whidbey Island, Wash.
Hometown: Frannie, Wyo.
John F. ALEXANDER, AMH3 Operations
Rec. Fm. s Fleet Weather Central, Kodiak
Hometowns St# Louis, Mo.
Charles T# BYRD,^DN Dental Dept#
Rec# Fm.: NAS, North Island, Calif.
Hometown: Centralia, Wash.
L# W# SHOOK, SM3 Admin/MAA
Rec. Fm.: USS RODCHESTER (CA-124)
Hometown: Orville, Calif.
L. D# SWANK, EN1 Public Works
Rec. fm: Mine Div. 113 Long Beach, Cal.
Hometown: (information was not rec.)
Ernest S# BRITO, CN Public Works
Rec. fm: Lake Mead, Las “Vegas, Nev.
Hometown: Trinidad, Colo.
Frank I. DQCKSTADER, AN Operations
Rec. Fm.s NAS, North Island, Calif.
Hometown: Ithaca, N.Y.
Albert A# LARQCK, SA Admin/Chap
Rec. fm: N.S. Treasure Island, Calif.
Hometown: Eau Claire, Wis.
Fred M, Messer, FA Security
Rec, fm,4 HDU, San Francisco, Calif,
Hometown: Inman, S,C.
Robert R, REDDEN, SA Spec* Svc*
Rec, Fm.s NAAS, El Centro, Calif,
Hpmetown; Portageville, Mo,
Robert C, BROWN, BULCM Public Works
Rec, *Lak<a TteadjPase, Las Vegas Nev*
Hometown: Fairfield, Texas