The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.

Saturday, June 5, 2021

USS West Virginia Unknown Identified and Buried May 31 in Kentucky: Wellborn Ashby

"Pearl Harbor  casualty arrives  in Kentucky 80 years later --  Honolulu, Hawaii"  June 4, 2021

Martha Christian once traveled to Pearl Harbor and dipped her feet in the water as she cried thinking about her long lost brother from that Day of Infamy.   His name was Wellborn Ashby.  His body was later recovered after the ship was raised, but was unidentifiable.

That is, until DNA and other testing became available.

All his family knew for sure was that some of the West Virginia's crew died instantly  and that as a Navy Firefighter he probably was involved in the effort to keep the ship from capsizing like the USS Oklahoma as it sank.

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From Honor States.com

Wellborn Lee Ashby

Born October 19, 1917  Died December 7, 1941

Fireman 3rd Class

Enlisted in US Navy September 24, 1940

Identified  20 November 2020.

--GreGen


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