“in combat in the Solomon Islands on a destroyer. He was one of the loaders on an anti aircraft gun.”
My Father did too. Uss Perkins. His duty station was right above the magazine.
...I had another Uncle who did the same thing on another destroyer and they were both in the Solomons at the same time. He was my Dad’s brother. The other one was my mother’s brother. But, they never crossed paths. My uncle told me once they were nearly always on the go due to so much active combat.
Small world. My wife’s father, Dr. N.L. Butler, was medical officer on the Perkins at that time. He was transferred just before she was sunk in a collision with a troop ship.