Joseph R. Odum
Joseph R. Odum (1913–1942) was a United States Navy sailor who received the Silver Star posthumously for his actions in combat during World War II.
Joseph Roy Odum | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 9, 1913 Jacksonville, Florida |
| Died | October 15, 1942 (aged 29) Pacific Ocean, near Guadalcanal |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1934–1942 |
| Rank | Fireman First Class |
| Unit | USS Meredith (DD-434) |
| Battles/wars | World War II *Guadalcanal campaign |
| Awards | Silver Star |
Biography
Joseph Roy Odum was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on 9 February 1913. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on 20 June 1934.
On 15 October 1942, Fireman First Class Odum was a gunner on the destroyer USS Meredith (DD-434) when she was sunk by Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft from the aircraft carrier Zuikaku. He remained at his battle station after the order to abandon ship had been given so he could protect his shipmates in the water from being strafed by Japanese planes. He was still firing when the ship went under and was lost with the ship.
Awards
For his actions during the sinking of Meredith, Fireman First Class Odum was awarded the Silver Star posthumously.
Commemoration
The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Odum (DE-670) was named for Fireman First Class Odum. She was converted during construction into the high-speed transport USS Odum (APD-71) and was in commission as such from 1945 to 1946.
References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.