Signalman 3rd Class James G. Hurley - World War II Veteran

German submarines prowled the Atlantic, seeking to disrupt the Allied flow of men, machines and all-important fuel to keep the hardware of the war moving.  James was a signalman aboard a Destroyer Escort in a small task group.  It included four Destroyer Escorts and a small air craft carrier.  Both the hunter and the hunted, James’s task force was successful in eliminating many German submarines and the only Japanese sub sunk in the Atlantic during the war.  In recognition of their importance to keeping the Atlantic safe, the task group received two Presidential Unit Citations and a Bronze Star.  Following the surrender of Germany, the task group moved to the Pacific until the surrender of Japan.  Their final award was an Asiatic Pacific-European-African-Mid-East -American Area  Victory Medal for their service in both the Atlantic and the Pacific.

JoAnne P. Miller