George Hickman Vaughan was born 16 July 1925 in Raywood West VA. His weight is 165, complexion light, eyes blue, Hair Brown, height 5' 11" and his next of kin is his mother Kathleen Vaughn, mother. He enlisted in the Navy on 29 Oct 1942, he was 17. He first served o the USS Monrovia and was transferred to the USS Zeilin for temporary duty effective 24 Oct 1943 as a Seaman 2 Class. On 1 July he was a WT third Class (Temporary). He stayed with the Zeilin til the end of the war. He was discharged from the Navy on 4 Jan 1946. It states his age as 20. On the 9th Jan 1946, his address was Marlinton, Pocahontas, West Virginia.

Probably USS Zeilin

Initiation upon crossing the Equator. It is a Navy tradition that every sailor that crosses the equator for the first time must submit to King Neptunes Court aboard ship. It is much the same as fraternity hazing.

This was common form of entertainment on the Navy ships.

Invasion Mock-up Hawaiian Islands. Most of the Invasion forces practiced on various Hawaiian Islands before leaving for the invasion of various enemy islands.

U.S. Landing Barges Guam (LCIs)

Smoke rising from Invasion of Guam.

Destroyer sending US Casualties

Bringing Casualties aboard ship.

Casualties on stretchers in ship aisles. After casualties were treated in sick bay they were moved to ship aisles since there was limited space in ship bay and it had to cleared for further casualtie.

Emergency Sick  Bay on USS Zeilin. Usually when the sick bay is full they will start using one of the Mess Halls on ship.

Emergency Sick  Bay on USS Zeilin. Usually when the sick bay is full they will start using one of the Mess Halls on ship

On 2 September 1945, the same day that formal surrender ceremonies took place in Tokyo Bay, the Japanese naval and air base at Truk also surrendered. Located in the Caroline Islands, Truk had served as the focus of Japan's central Pacific power during the first two years of World War II. By mid-1945, however, it had long since been bypassed by the rapidly-moving Pacific war. The commanders of Truk's large remaining Army and Navy garrison, which was largely reduced to a semi-starvation diet and had been the target of frequent attacks by U.S. planes, surrendered on board the U.S. cruiser Portland.

5 September 1945, Japanese surrender Yap Island in ceremony on board destroyer Tillman (DD-641).

Sailor sitting on beach near bow of Japanese Ship

The Marines always buried their own separate from the Army

Jap Betty Bomber. This was one of Japan's most used bombers.

4th Marine Cemetery Guadacanal.

Spelled San Frandino, Luzon, Philippines (Slang, misspelling, or a place that does not currently exist)

George graduated Naval Air Technical Training Center on 20 August 1948 with a diploma from Electronics Technician School (Class A).

I didn't know my Grandpa well but I do have a few fond memories of him. Photos like this one tell me where those fond memories originate. When I found these photos of Grandpa's WWII experience loose in box I knew I had to record them so his story could live on.

How did Gorge Hickman Vaughan Get the name Grandpa Bay? I'm not sure. I've just always spelled it that way. My mother, Laura Griffin, spells it Grandpa Bae based on her story about the origins. Apparently he called Grandma the nickname Babe and Bae for short. So Grandma became Grandma Bae and Grandpa Bae. I like it; I imiagine the family being a quirky bunch.