Fights 4 Battles, One 72 Hours Long, in Year’s Service
Pauley, Navy Signalman Wounded in Africa
Vernie E. Pauley, navy, signalman third class home on a 15-day leave for a visit with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Pauley, Carroll Apartments, is a veteran of four naval engagements, although he has been in the service less than a year.
Serving on a destroyer, Signalman Pauley took part in the African invasion and wears a star in his campaign bar for taking part in a 72-hour battle there with no letup in an engagement with ships in the bay and shore batteries as well as axis planes.
Although some of his buddies were killed at his side, Pauley said he suffered only shrapnel wounds.
Pauley talked to a number of French sailors at Casablanca and said he didn’t think the French would have fought there if they had not been forced to by the Germans. The army, he said, did a wonderful job in the African invasion and after landing took but a short time to take over many towns and air bases. His destroyer, he said, was credited with destroying four subs at the time of the invasion.
The sailor was married here last Tuesday to Miss Waneta Faulkender, 1304 S. Maple Street. His wife who works at the Wincharger corporation plans to remain here when her husband leaves today to report back to the Brooklyn naval hospital.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, June 29, 1943 (photo included)
IN UNIFORM
Vernon E. Pauley, seaman first class, veteran of eight major operations in the Pacific area and one in the Atlantic, has returned to his destroyer after spending a 16-day leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert J. Pauley, 603 Virginia Street. He entered the navy about three years ago and has been wounded four times.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, February 11, 1945
