A. W. Walker (1925 - 1945)

Born 4 May 1925 in Fayetteville, Lincoln, Tennessee, United States

Died 30 Jul 1945 at age 20 in Philippine Sea

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Biography

Steward's Mate 1st Class Petty Officer A. Walker served in the United States Navy in World War II
Service started:
Unit(s): USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
Service ended: 30 Jul 1945

Steward's Mate 1st Class Petty Officer A. Walker was Killed in Action during World War II.

A. Walker is a part of US Black heritage.

A.W. was born in 1925 in Tennessee, son of Davis and Minnie Walker.

A.W. was stationed on the USS Indianapolis as Steward's Mate First Class Petty Officer. In July 1945 the USS Indianapolis was sent on a secret mission to deliver the components of the Little Boy atomic bomb to Tinian Island without an escort, on the return trip, still without escort, it was attacked by a Japanese submarine. The USS Indianapolis sank in 12 minutes on 30 Jul 1945 with some 300 of the 1,195 crewmen aboard going down with the ship. With few lifeboats and many without life jackets, only 316 of the nearly 900 men set adrift survived the 4 days in shark infested water before rescue. A.W. was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. The crew of the USS Indianapolis was later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.^[1][2]

William is honored at two memorial sites: The U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana and the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Philippines.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ U.S., Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Unaccounted-for Remains, Group B (Unrecoverable), 1941-1975 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/20355:62207?tid=&pid=&queryId=8902485a8842e45e12eb9c6a104b12d7&_phsrc=ghu4&_phstart=successSource
2. ↑ U.S., Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Unaccounted-for Remains, Group B (Unrecoverable), 1941-1975 https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000XmO9EAK
3. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/192930004/a-w-walker: accessed 28 December 2022), memorial page for STM1 A W Walker (4 May 1925–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 192930004, citing U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA; Maintained by Shoshana & Dr K (contributor 47813956).

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPWR-S23 : accessed 28 December 2022), A W Walker in household of Davis Walker, District 03, Fayette, Tennessee