The City of Cypress’ Veterans Recognition Program honors a veteran quarterly. Recently, Gerald M. Seymore was recognized during the May 12, city council meeting.
The City of Cypress’ Veterans Recognition Program honors a veteran quarterly. Recently, Gerald M. Seymore was recognized during the May 12, city council meeting.
Seymore joined the Navy in 1943 at the age of 17, beating the impending draft on his 18th birthday. He spent his 18th birthday on a troop train in the middle of Texas. After boot camp he was sent to diesel school in Chicago, amphibian school in San Diego, and then to the USS Cheleb AK 138 for duty. The USS Cheleb made a trip to Kwajalein Island with the equipment to build a new base.
While at Kwajalein Island, Seymore injured his right leg falling through a hatch. This fall landed him a stay at the Naval Hospital in Long Beach, where he met the girl of his dreams and future wife, Ginger Seymore, who was there at the hospital singing to patients with a group from her high school on Easter Sunday, 1944.
Shortly after, he was assigned to Talladega Boat Group, training Marines at Camp Pendleton. The group went aboard the USS Talladega (APA 208) on November 1, 1944. Some highlights of Seymore’s time on the Talladega included: landing members of the Fifth Marine Division at Iwo Jima; loading army personnel at the Philippines and taking them to Okinawa; training the First Marine Division for the invasion of Japan; most interestingly, arriving in Japan on September 2, 1945, sailing right past the USS Missouri as the signing was taking place marking the formal surrender of Japan, and disembarking the first ground troops in Japan at the end of the war. The Talladega also transported four of the five men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima.
Seymore served three years active duty, with 18 years in the Naval Reserves. He and his wife raised five children while he worked in the parts departments of several Ford dealerships. While serving in the reserves, Seymore made 1st Class, followed by Chief, then three grades of Warrant Officer. Seymore was an integral part of organizing the Talladega ship reunion for years, and also volunteered with the Military Officers Association for over 20 years, serving 14 of the 20 years as Treasurer.
For more information about the Veterans Recognition Program, or if you would like to have a veteran recognized, call 714-229-6683.
