USS Inaugural Shipmate

Vincent "Mike" O'Connor

(1921 -       )

Date of Birth:  April 05, 1921 - Cameron, Missouri

Dates Aboard the USS Inaugural:  December 30, 1944 - November 21, 1945

Ranks held on the Inaugural:  MoMM2c & MoMM1c (see ranks section)

Buddies on the Inaugural:  Arthur Silvi & Milton Martin

Free-time activities while at sea:  Sleep, watch movies

Dates of Navy service:  07/11/1942 (enlistment) - 01/22/1946 (honorable discharge)

Navy Service Summary:

Vincent "Mike" O'Connor enlisted in the US Navy at N.R.S. Kansas City, Mo., in July of 1942 when he was 21 years old.  He attended Naval Training at Great Lakes, Ill., NTSch (Signals & Diesel) at U of I, Urbana, Ill., and Amphibious Training at Base NNY Portsmouth, Va.  After training, he shipped off to various spots in the Pacific including New Caledonia, the New Hebrides & Guadalcanal.  During this time from 1942-1944, he was aboard the following ships:  USS Mount Vernon (AP22), USS Hunter Liggett (AP27), USS Rigel (AD13) & USS Medusa (AR1).  He was a crew member of the USS Inaugural (AM242) from the time it was commissioned in December of 1944, until late 1945.  He departed the "Augie" in November 1945 while it was stopped in Sasebo, Japan.  From Sasebo, he continued his journey home on board the USS Signet (AM302).

Life After WWII:  

Returning from the Pacific in 1946, he worked for Harding Cream Co. in Kansas City, Mo.  At Harding, he met his wife Carolyn.  They were married in August of 1960.  In 1967, Vince went on to work for the Department of Defense at Richards Gebaur A.F.B. in Grandview, Mo.  He retired in 1986.  Vince & Carolyn raised one son, Jerry Johnson.  The O'Connor's still live in the Kansas City Metro area.  Grandchildren include Jared Johnson (21) & Lindsay Johnson (18).

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