Merton B. Myers
| Merton Bernell Myers | |
|---|---|
| Born |
January 15, 1912 Long Island City, Queens, New York |
| Died |
March 10, 1943 (aged 31) South Atlantic Ocean |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1939-1943 |
| Rank | Machinist's Mate First Class |
| Unit | USS Eberle (DD-430) |
| Battles/wars |
World War II Battle of the Atlantic |
| Awards | Silver Star |
Merton B. Myers (1912–1943) was a United States Navy sailor killed in action during World War II who received a posthumous Silver Star for his actions.
Biography
Merton Bernell Myers was born at Long Island City in Queens, New York, on January 15, 1912. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on August 23, 1939 at Indianapolis, Indiana.[1]
As a machinist's mate first class, Myers was serving in the destroyer USS Eberle (DD-430) in the South Atlantic Ocean when on March 10, 1943 Eberle intercepted the German blockade runner Karin. Myers volunteered for the boarding party which valiantly tried to save Karin from demolition charges set by her crew. All efforts were to no avail; after helping his shipmates to escape the sinking death trap, Myers was killed in a violent explosion.
Awards
For his gallant sacrifice in the boarding of Karin, Myers was awarded the Silver Star posthumously.
Namesake
The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Myers (DE-595) was named for Machinist' Mate First Class Myers. She was converted during construction into the high-speed transport USS Myers (APD-105), and was in commission as such from 1945 to `1947.
Notes
- ↑ The Dictionary of Naval Fighting Ships provides identical birth dates and locations and identical enlistment dates and locations for both William J. Pattison (at http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/w8/william_j_pattison.htm) and Merton B. Myers (at http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m16/myers.htm), both of whom died at the same time in the Karin boarding attempt. This almost impossible coincidence in both date and place of birth, of enlistment, and of death in action suggests that the Dictionary of Naval Fighting Ships is in error concerning some or all of this information for one or both men. Other sources merely repeat the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships entries and are of no assistance in clearing up the matter.
References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.