Below, I will include brief profiles on the Readingites who served in the United States Navy during World War II whose profiles I have completely fleshed out. If you would like to request additional information about any of them, please email me at readingsboys@gmail.com!

Gerald Leon Doucette

(May 19, 1924-September 4, 1990)

26 Warren Avenue, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted or drafted into the United States Navy on December 2, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on February 7, 1946. Served aboard USS Charrette (DD-581) from May 18, 1943 to April 8, 1945.

Walter Roy Collins

(August 27, 1904-March 26, 1988)

179 Green Street, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted or drafted into the United States Navy on October 10, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on May 19, 1944. Served aboard USS Wyoming (AG-19) from December 6, 1942 to February 19, 1943 and USS Dashiell (DD-659) from March 20, 1943 to October 17, 1943.

Wesley Harold Steber

(december 31, 1921-April 4, 1978)

Lee Road, North Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted or drafted into the United States Navy on January 20, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on November 7, 1945. Served aboard USS LST-344 from January 4, 1943 to July 13, 1945.

Harry Nesmith Carr

(January 18, 1917-November 13, 1997)

16 Arlington Street, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on October 29, 1940 in Lynn, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on October 6, 1945. Served aboard USS PC-455 from September 5, 1941 to September 22, 1943 and USS Thomas F. Nickel (DE-587) from August 2, 1944 to August 23, 1945.

Luther Albert Campbell

(June 15, 1918-May 15, 1992)

(Post-War) 30 Juniper Circle, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on February 8, 1940 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Discharged from the United States Navy on an unknown date. Served aboard USS S-40 (SS-145) from May 26, 1941 to November 18, 1943 and USS Sea Owl (SS-405) from July 17, 1944 to August 29, 1945.

John Charles Lake

(June 26, 1925-April 8, 2001)

MacArthur Road, North Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted or drafted into the United States Navy on March 23, 1943 in Boston, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on February 17, 1946. Served aboard USS Wyoming (AG-17) from May 30, 1943 to June 12, 1943 and USS Luce (DD-522) from June 21, 1943 to May 4, 1945 when the USS Luce was sunk. Mr. Lake was a recipient of the Purple Heart, having been wounded in the sinking.

Arthur Francis Doucette

(January 13, 1917-August 18, 2001)

100 Orange Street, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on July 8, 1940 in Boston, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on June 2, 1948. Served aboard USS Pyro (AE-1) from November 2, 1940 to August 1, 1945. Mr. Doucette was a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Frank Paul Pawlik

(March 1, 1917-January 4, 2001)

(Post-War) 625 Main Street, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on September 13, 1939 in Cleveland, Ohio. Discharged from the United States Navy on an unknown date. Served aboard USS New York (BB-34) from November 22, 1939 to August 28, 1943 and USS Vincennes (CL-64) from January 21, 1944 to September 1, 1945.

Henry Albert Castine

(January 29, 1902-October 6, 1983)

(Pre-WAr) 9 High Street, Reading, Massachusetts; (Post-War) Green Street, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on December 6, 1923. Discharged from the United States Navy on August 12, 1947. Served aboard USS Wandank (AT-26) from April 29, 1939 to August 20, 1942, USS Anne Arundel (AP-76) from September 17, 1942 to April 24, 1943, USS Wasp (CV-18) from November 24, 1943 to August 3, 1944, and USS Menifee (APA-202) from November 4, 1944 to November 14, 1945. Mr. Castine was present for the infamous sinking of the USS Squalus and participated in the salvaging of that submarine.

William Leroy Gordon

(January 28, 1916-September 5, 1968)

(Post-War) 313 Lowell STreet, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on August 8, 1935 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Discharged from the United States Navy on December 5, 1946. Served aboard USS Overton (DD-239) from October 16, 1939 to around September 1942 and USS Canberra (CA-70) from October 14, 1943 to around March 1945.

Raymond Francis Perino

(November 26, 1919-March 20, 2002)

(Post-War) 10 Richards Road, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on December 1, 1937 in Boston, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on March 19, 1946. Served aboard USS Enterprise (CV-6) from May 12, 1938 to October 6, 1943.

William Henry Dewsnap Jr.

(July 28, 1917-September 12, 2005)

326 Franklin Street, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on October 20, 1937 in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on September 14, 1945. Served aboard USS Vulcan (AR-5) from June 16, 1941 to April 30, 1944.

Bernard Gordon Nichols

(October 29, 1918-September 14, 1975)

39 Grove Street, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on May 19, 1937 in Boston, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on August 17, 1946. Served aboard USS Dixie (AD-14) from April 25, 1940 to April 30, 1942, USS O’Brien (DD-415) from April 14, 1942 to October 19, 1942 when the USS O’Brien sank, and USS Baldwin (DD-624) from April 30, 1943 to July 27, 1943.

Harry Edward Taylor

(June 7, 1924-July 18, 1991)

North Main Street, North Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on October 6, 1941 in Boston, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on October 10, 1945. Served aboard USS Monadnock (CMC-4/CM-9) from December 2, 1941 to January 13, 1943, USS Baltimore (CA-68) from April 15, 1943 to July 29, 1944, and USS Commencement Bay (CVE-105) from November 27, 1944 to September 26, 1945.

Robert Oliver Ewan

(January 14, 1922-July 13, 1951)

(Post-War) Park Street, North Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on October 22, 1941 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Discharged from the United States Navy on December 29, 1946. Served aboard USS New Mexico (BB-40) from December 18, 1941 to after September 30, 1945.

George Joseph Buckley

(April 6, 1925-February 10, 1998)

(Post-War) 418 Lowell Street, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on August 25, 1941 in Boston, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on May 5, 1945. Served aboard USS Bernadou (DD-153) from November 5, 1941 to October 29, 1944.

Eastman Field Heywood

(November 27, 1918-March 14, 1985)

(Post-War) 230 Charles Street, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on May 10, 1938 in Washington, D. C. Discharged from the United States Navy on May 10, 1946. Served aboard USS Augusta (CA-31) from April 24, 1941 to June 27, 1943.

Francis John “Fran” Thornton Jr.

(July 13, 1920-May 11, 2013)

74 Bancroft Avenue, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on August 29, 1939 in Boston, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on October 8, 1945. Served aboard USS San Francisco (CA-38) from December 26, 1939 to May 5, 1944 and USS Capitaine (SS-336) from July 28, 1945 to October 24, 1945.

Colin Ewen Cameron

(September 27, 1919-October 11, 1977)

(Post-War) Oak Street, North Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on July 22, 1940 in Boston, Massachusetts. Discharged from the United States Navy on May 10, 1960. Served aboard USS Solace (AH-5) from August 9, 1941 to after December 31, 1943.

Richard Tague Schaeffer

(July 13, 1918-July 30, 1945)

74 Prescott Street, Reading, Massachusetts

Enlisted in the United States Navy on May 13, 1940. Killed in action on July 30, 1945. Served aboard USS Dale (DD-353) from January 1941 to March 30, 1943, served with Fighting Squadron 98 (VF-98) from November 11, 1944 to January 31, 1945, and Bombing Fighting Squadron 85 (VBF-85) from February 15, 1945 to July 30, 1945.