Dec. 3, 2010 Lake Currents

Post date: Jun 13, 2013 5:10:54 PM

LOW’s William J. Howard ReceivesCongressional Veteran Commendation

By Dick Martin, LOW Vets Secretary

William J. Howard, 230 Birchside Drive, Lake of the Woods, has received the 2010 Congressional Veteran Commendation (CVC), which honors distinguished veterans of Virginia’s Seventh Congressional District. Howard was one of seven veterans honored November 22 at a Presentation Ceremony in the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond.

Eric Cantor, 7^th District Representative, said “the Congressional Veteran Commendation, in conjunction with the Veterans History Project sponsored by the Library of Congress, was created to honor the distinguished veterans of Virginia’s Seventh District and to preserve their stories for future generations of Americans.

“Our nation is forever grateful for the sacrifices made by our veterans who have risked their lives to keep our country safe and preserve the freedom and liberty of every American.”

Yeoman Second Class Howard was interviewed in recent years by LOW’s AARP Veterans History Project Group and his segment has been telecast on Comcast Channel 18 LOWA Communications several times.

Howard’s nomination was processed by the LOW Veterans Club through CVC Nominating Official Lee Frame, Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. CVC final recipients are selected by a board of military experts. The other six honorees are from Culpeper, Hanover, Henrico, Chesterfield, and Madison.

Howard enlisted in the Navy in October 1939 and served with the pre-World War Two Asiatic Fleet in the Pacific Far East area. Just before Pearl Harbor, his destroyer group and other naval units were sent from the Philippines to Surabaya, Java. Howard served as “Captain’s Talker” on the bridge, coordinating incoming information and outgoing captain’s orders to the rest of the destroyer.

In early 1942, Howard’s destroyer Parrott and three others were ordered to attack Japanese naval forces invading Balikpapan, on Borneo’s Eastern coast. This night attack by the U. S. destroyers at the Battle of Balikpapan was the first surface engagement between American and Japanese ships in World War Two.

Parrott sank a Japanese troop transport and a patrol boat during the engagement. Other destroyers sank two other troop transports and an ammunition supply ship.

In the coming weeks, Parrott continued to see repeated action and was fortunate to survive as the triumphant Japanese navy overwhelmed and sank most of the American ships. By March 1942, the outgunned American naval forces were forced back to Australia, and the Parrott was ordered back to California for overhaul and extensive repairs.

In California, Howard underwent an operation that went wrong and left him paralyzed. The Navy granted him a full medical disability discharge in May 1943.

The 91-year-old Howard is a member of the Asiatic Fleet Association, Disabled American Veterans Association, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He is also still a very active participant on the LOW Golf Course.