Years of service 1939-1943 Awards Silver Star | Role Sailor Name Merton Myers | |
Born January 15, 1912
Long Island City, Queens, New York ( 1912-01-15 ) Rank Machinist's Mate First Class Battles/wars World War II
Battle of the Atlantic Died March 10, 1943, Atlantic Ocean Battles and wars World War II, Battle of the Atlantic | ||
Service/branch United States Navy Allegiance United States of America | ||
Merton B. Myers (1912–1943) was a United States Navy sailor killed in action during World War II who received a posthumous Silver Star for his actions.
Contents
Biography
Merton Bernell Myers was born at Long Island City in Queens, New York, on January 15, 1912. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on August 23, 1939 at Indianapolis, Indiana.
As a machinist's mate first class, Myers was serving in the destroyer USS Eberle (DD-430) in the South Atlantic Ocean when on March 10, 1943 Eberle intercepted the German blockade runner Karin. Myers volunteered for the boarding party which valiantly tried to save Karin from demolition charges set by her crew. All efforts were to no avail; after helping his shipmates to escape the sinking death trap, Myers was killed in a violent explosion.
Awards
For his gallant sacrifice in the boarding of Karin, Myers was awarded the Silver Star posthumously.
Namesake
The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Myers (DE-595) was named for Machinist' Mate First Class Myers. She was converted during construction into the high-speed transport USS Myers (APD-105), and was in commission as such from 1945 to `1947.