USS Bunker Hill

[pieter1012]

I have only a few American items (mainly regarding the Purple Heart) in my collection, but the recent visit of president Obama to the Hiroshima memorial, reminded me of a poignant Purple Heart document I have that is witness to the tragic loss of the aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill on 11 May 1945 about 70 miles off the coast of Okinawa. The Bunker Hill was the flagship of the American navy in the Pacific theater at that time, with thousands of crewmen and holding the most sophistcated naval technology. In the early morning of May 11 1945, a young Japanese Zero pilot spotted the Bunker Hill and radioed home that he was going to nose dive into the enemy vessal. The Bunker Hill survived this suicide attack, heavily damaged, with 393 dead and 264 wounded, limping back to Pearl Harbour. One of the dead was 19 year old seaman first class Allan Scott Herring. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. Hope you enjoy the picture.

 

Edited May 31, 2016 by pieter1012