Gunner’s Mate, 2nd Class Harold A Degnan

Gunner’s Mate, 2nd Class Harold A Degnan US Navy. Born 26 June 1914 in Rockland, Illinois. He attended Boulevard, Baker Junior High and West High School in Denver, and was an employee of a rubber manufacturing firm prior to entering service on 11 September 1942, at the age of 28. He received his preliminary training at San Diego, California, with special schooling in electric hydraulics. Gunner’s Mate Degnan served aboard the ships USS COWIE, USS WICKES, USS REFUGE, USS LEEDSTROWN, USS MARKAB, and USS LST-464 FFT. He took part in the invasions of North Africa and Sicily, convoy duty on the Murmansk route, attacks on Paramushiro and Shumushu, and battles accompanying the invasions of Leyte and Luzon, Philippine Islands. On 10 January 1945, the day after the Luzon invasion, he was critically wounded and hospitalized in the Southwest Pacific. In the action, Gunner’s Mate Degnan was serving aboard a destroyer in naval support of the landings, when a Japanese plane scored a bomb hit on his ship, wounding him and fourteen members of his gun crew. Honorably discharged on 18 October 1945, his numerous decorations include the Purple Heart Medal (PHM), the American Theater Area Ribbon, the European African Middle Eastern Area (ETO) Ribbon with 3 Battle Stars, Asiatic Pacific (PTO) Ribbon with 3 Battle Stars, Philippine Liberation with 2 Stars, and the Good Conduct and World War Two Victory Medals. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Clark, of 1043 Cherokee Street, Denver. He is also the brother of Private First Class Charles F. Dieckman.

Source:

1- THE FIGHTING MEN OF Colorado – Asiatic-Pacific Theater World War Two – 1948