One of America's Finest
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2022 12:35 pm
Yesterday my wife and I stopped after church to have lunch at a nearby café in Krum, TX. As we were being seated an elderly gentleman approached our table and asked if we were Krum residence to which I replied, “no sir but we live just a few miles down the highway.” He introduced himself as, Derick South, and stated that he had just returned from a trip to Hawaii and the Arizona Memorial. In my conversation with him I learned that Mr. South was a lifelong resident of Krum, born in December 1924.
After learning of the bombing at Pearl Harbor Mr. South joined the Navy as soon as he turned 18 years old. Following recruit training he was assigned to the U.S.S. Pennsylvania BB-38. When Japan had attacked on 7 December 1941, Pennsylvania, flagship of the United States Fleet, was in drydock at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard. Her relatively light damage was repaired over the next few months, and she operated along the U.S. west coast and off Hawaii until October 1942.
The ship served throughout the Pacific from Attu, Alaska to Tarawa, Manila, and Saipan. During the battle of Saipan many of the U.S. Marines that were killed Mr. South saw floating in the water off shore. To this day those images still haunt his dreams.
I told him my father fought in North Africa and Europe and had lived here in Krum when he was the Municipal Court Judge in the 1980’s. Mr. South remembered my dad and all the other “ole boys” that would hang out around the café and the municipal office. They talk about old times and of course what was wrong with the world today. They thought they had all the answers, but deep down they knew it was more complicated.
Derick South will be 100 years old December 1st 2024. In good health now I pray he makes it and many more. Heroes like him, my father and grandfather who served this nation and others for the cause of freedom, liberty and justice will soon be gone from our presence. I pray for Mr. South and I hope to read of his 100th birthday or maybe even help celebrate it. God Bless.
This is a baseball type card that was made for him by the Best Defense Foundation. BDF.org
After learning of the bombing at Pearl Harbor Mr. South joined the Navy as soon as he turned 18 years old. Following recruit training he was assigned to the U.S.S. Pennsylvania BB-38. When Japan had attacked on 7 December 1941, Pennsylvania, flagship of the United States Fleet, was in drydock at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard. Her relatively light damage was repaired over the next few months, and she operated along the U.S. west coast and off Hawaii until October 1942.
The ship served throughout the Pacific from Attu, Alaska to Tarawa, Manila, and Saipan. During the battle of Saipan many of the U.S. Marines that were killed Mr. South saw floating in the water off shore. To this day those images still haunt his dreams.
I told him my father fought in North Africa and Europe and had lived here in Krum when he was the Municipal Court Judge in the 1980’s. Mr. South remembered my dad and all the other “ole boys” that would hang out around the café and the municipal office. They talk about old times and of course what was wrong with the world today. They thought they had all the answers, but deep down they knew it was more complicated.
Derick South will be 100 years old December 1st 2024. In good health now I pray he makes it and many more. Heroes like him, my father and grandfather who served this nation and others for the cause of freedom, liberty and justice will soon be gone from our presence. I pray for Mr. South and I hope to read of his 100th birthday or maybe even help celebrate it. God Bless.
This is a baseball type card that was made for him by the Best Defense Foundation. BDF.org
