Willius Eugene Vanatta (1918 - 2010)

Born 20 Sep 1918 in Smithville, DeKalb, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Died 19 Aug 2010 at age 91 in Smithville, DeKalb, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

The early years

Willius Eugene^[1] was born in Smithville, Tennessee^[1] on the 20th of Septembr, 1918^[2][1] to Jasper Willius Vanatta^[2] and Amanda Elizabeth Estes^[2].

Family LIfe

He would marry Mary Louise Corley in 1946

He would later marry Nell Burnett White

He would have:

• Living Driver^[2]
• Living Driver ^[2]

Through the years

He would be living in Smithville, Tennesse during the time he was in enlisted from 1942 to 1946^[1]

Military

He would enlist in the Navy^[1] as part of the World War II efforts^[1], enlisting on the 9th of September, 1942 under his serial/file number beign 640 94 I

He would serve on the^[1]:

• USNH Pensacola, Fla
• USNH Portsmouth, Virginia
• NTS Bainbridge, Maryland
• CABU One
• CESS Coral See
• USS Anzio

He would be a Chief Phrmacist's Mate^[1][1]

He would serve overseas Asiztic - Pactific Theatre from Sep 1943-Dec 1945^[2] in the Naval hospitals in Pensacola, Fl, 2nd Portsmouth, VA^[2].

He would be awared the Navy Unit citation^[2], Letter of commendation^[2]

He would be discharged from the U.S. Naval Personnel Seperation center in Memphis, Tennessee on the 14th of January 1946^[1],

Eugene^[2] spent 27 months on the aircarft carrier USS Coral Sea (later renamed USS Anzio). The ship had a crew of about 1200, with another 400 in the aircraft squadron. It was involved in much action and supported the island invasions.

The ship was strafed(sic?), torpedoed, and hit by Kamikaze pilots. It also went through two typhoons, the last one after the war had ended, in October 1945 near Okinawa, when the ship caught fire and almost sank.

For relief from these difficulties Eugene helped organize and played in a twelve piece orchestra, which gave weekly performances. Sometimes they were accompanied by comedy routines, or by crew members doing a pantomime of the Andrew Sisters.

Death

He died on the 19th of August, 2010 in Smithville, DeKalb County, Tennessee and he would be buried in the DeKalb Memorial Gardens in Smithville, DeKalb County, Tennessee^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} World War Ii Seperation paper for Willius Eugene Vanatta, World War II File, Vertical Files, Justin Potter Library, Smithville, DeKalb County, Tennessee
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9} World War II family provided information for Willius Eugene Vanata, World War II File, Vertiical Files, Justin Poter Library, Smithville, DeKalb County, Tennessee
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #57370100 Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57370100/willius-eugene-vanatta : accessed 05 February 2022), memorial page for Dr Willius Eugene “Doc” Vanatta (20 Sep 1918–19 Aug 2010), Find a Grave Memorial ID 57370100, citing DeKalb Memorial Gardens, Smithville, DeKalb County, Tennessee, USA ; Maintained by P~C~BT~ღ❤ (contributor ) .

Research Notes

• Pull childrens name from Sheet in file when working on next.