11/12/2018
Jay's uncles. Happy veterans day!
Glade McKee, Jack McKee
Ben Lindquist shares: Glade McKee (left) served in the US Navy as a Radarman from 1944-1946 in the Pacific. Radar was top secret back then. So manuals and textbooks weren’t distributed. He was required to memorize all operations. He was responsible for aligning the antiaircraft guns to the radar signals. On one occasion his ship was struck by a Japanese plane. He was forced to abandon ship with many others and spent the night in the water before being rescued the next day. Subsequently he was reported as missing in action to his family in South Jordan. He was able to return from the war before word of his rescue. He told a wonderful story of his mother’s surprise and happiness.
Grandpa (Glade) also told another story about a time when his brother Jack (right) and his ship were staged next to each other. Somehow they both were able to communicate with lights and Morse code before getting reprimanded for breaking a “no lights” order.
Glade McKee was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, American Defense Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Medal with Asia device and Philippine Liberation Medal.
All of us were proud to call him Grandpa.
Left to right: Glade McKee, US Navy and older brother Clifton Allen (Jack) McKee, US Merchant Marines.