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| Welborn Ashby was a fireman 3rd class who was killed after the Japanese bombed and torpedoed the USS West Virginia. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=56114274&ref=acom http://secondbysecondworldwar.com/?p=4834 |
Welborn Lee Ashby never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on October 19, 1917 in Kentucky. His parents were also both born in Kentucky. His father worked as a farmer. Welborn had an older brother, two younger brothers, and three younger sisters. By 1940 Welborn had completed four years of high school. He was still living at home and working on the family farm.
He enlisted in the US Navy on September 24, 1940. He became a fireman third class on the battleship USS West Virginia.
West Virginia was sunk by seven torpedoes and two bombs during the Japanese Pearl Harbor surprise attack on December 7, 1941. Quick action by firemen such as Ashby counter-flooded the ship so it didn't capsize like the Oklahoma. The crew tried to fight the fires until 2 pm when they finally abandoned ship. Over 100 West Virginia sailors were killed in the attack. Fireman Ashby's body was never found, even after West Virginia was raised and repaired.
He memorialize at the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Join the public Facebook group WW2 Fallen 100
“His Lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant…” Matthew 25:21.
ReplyDeleteFireman 3rd Class Welborn Lee Ashby boarded the USS West Virginia as a member of the battleship’s crew on 24 September 1940. He was on board the West Virginia when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. After the attack F3c Ashby’s body could not be identified and he was listed as “Missing in Action” (MIA). While at the Department of Defense (DoD) in January 2012, Chief Rick Stone prepared reports on all of the West Virginia’s MIA’s which listed F3c Ashby as a Most Likely Match to multiple West Virginia “Unknowns” buried the Punchbowl Cemetery in Honolulu. Researchers from the Chief Rick Stone and Family Charitable Foundation, using advanced law enforcement investigative techniques and sophisticated technologies not available at the Department of Defense (DoD), continued to research F3c Ashby’s case which narrowed the list of Most Likely Matches to only one Unknown who had been recovered from the West Virginia and initially buried on 12 December 1941 in the Halawa Naval Cemetery before being later moved to the Punchbowl Cemetery as an “Unknown.” On 13 June 2017, after over five years, the Department of Defense finally decided to act on Chief Stone recommendations and began disinterring all of the USS West Virginia Unknowns. F3c Ashby was recovered from the grave site in the Punchbowl Cemetery indicated by Chief Stone’s research in 2012 and his identification was officially announced by the DoD on 20 November 2019.
Welcome home Sailor! We share the joy of your family in your return! God Bless you and thanks to ALL who never forgot you and your service to our country!
Thanks for adding this update.
DeleteAre you aware of the nonprofit initiative www.storiesbehindthestars.org? Your expertise in areas like this would be very valuable. You can contact me at don@storiesbehindthestars.org.