GALION – A U.S. Navy seaman who served in World War II still gets a bit choked up when he talks about his war years. Many veterans do.
But now, after more than 75 years, Russell Badgley is holding on to more than memories. He has a Quilt of Valor, presented to him by the Quilts of Valor Foundation for his service and sacrifice. A blanket designed to bring comfort and healing, especially to veterans touched by war.
“It sure brought a lot of memories back,” said Badgley, who will turn 100 on Nov. 25. “I didn’t expect all this, but here it is. And I have a really beautiful quilt.”
The patriotic, handmade quilt was delivered by Theresa and Tom Gouker, who are South Carolina volunteers for the foundation, which was started in 2003 by a mother whose son was deployed to Iraq. It came as a total surprise to Badgley, who looks at the gift – and what it symbolizes – with pride. And plenty of emotion.
“I hope to shout,” said Badgley of that July 17th day when his wife of 71 years, Mary, daughter Beth Carpenter and other close family members showed up in the back yard of his Galion home for the special occasion. “I came out in the yard and there they were, and the ceremony began. It was a complete surprise.”
Badgley, a 1939 graduate of Galion High School, joined the Navy on May 17, 1944. Following basic training and amphibious training, he was assigned to a Landing Craft Support Ship – the USS LCS-15 – for the long trip to the Pacific via the Panama Canal. “We were the Mighty Midgets, the small ships that cast big shadows,” Badgley said.
The 1st Class Seaman was a storekeeper on the 227-ton, flat-bottomed vessel, which was responsible for unloading supplies on the beach of Okinawa Island. But on April 22, 1945, they were attacked by a Japanese suicide bomber, Badgley said, originally aiming for a nearby destroyer. The blast from the kamikaze set the ship on fire, and it started to sink.
“I was the first loader on a twin 40-millimeter gun,” said Badgley. “Some of the crew didn’t make it out of the hatches before the ship went down. Two men who were manning the radio room managed to get out by slipping through the portholes. The third could not get through and went down with the ship.”
Badgley was lucky. He made his way through the smoke and fire, threw off his helmet and abandoned ship about the time the water was already up to the deck’s edge. For the next hour, the young sailor, who suffered a few burns, swam around in shark-infested waters with other crewmates until they were finally picked up by another boat.
Thirty-five men died that day. Those rescued boarded the aircraft carrier “USS Intrepid” for the trip back to the U.S., where Badgley completed his service at the Naval Base in San Diego and was discharged Feb. 12, 1946. He was awarded a Victory Medal and later a Combat Action Ribbon for his service in the Pacific.
When he returned to Galion, Badgley resumed his job as a draftsman for the North Electric Co., then moved to Tennessee with the company for a few years before coming back. Daughter Beth still lives in town, while a son Doug is deceased. The Badgleys also have two granddaughters and six great-grandchildren.
The WWII veteran, who can still fit into his uniform, was proud to represent the Navy during the 2002 dedication ceremony for Galion’s Veterans Memorial in Heise Park. He was also part of a contingent that participated in the Honor Flight Tour to Washington, D.C. back in 2011, and is a life member of the American Legion 243.
A “Fighting Amphib” who attended many reunions over the years for his old shipmates. Many now gone, others buried at sea long ago.
But Badgley still has a story to tell. A story of survival. A veteran’s story. “And other than that,” he said, “it’s been a good life.”
