EUGENE SCOTT JONES
Eugene Scott Jones, now of Park
Hills, served in a seldom written about group of men.
They were known as the Armed Guard and served aboard Merchant Marine ships
and troop ships. Jones, a Radioman 2C, was part of one of
these units. Jones writes, "Such units
manned gun places on the ships and handled communications.
Small units required radiomen to serve as signalmen, yeomen and paymasters. The guns were 50 cal. machine guns, 20mm, 40mm, 3
inch and 5 inch. Radiomen sometimes served on
these guns." Radiomen were required to receive and
send coded messages, also code and decode foreign communications were copied and filed
with U.S. intelligence for use. Jones received one bronze star in the
Atlantic-Mediterranean and two bronze stars in the Asiatic-Pacific. he also received U.S. Navy Secretary's Unit
Commendation. Jones served a second hitch in the Navy
about regular Navy ships where he received personal commanding officer's commendation. |