Elbert W Sawley Jr.

Elbert W. Sawley, Jr., BMCS (DV), USN, retired, age 88, passed away October 30, 2012. He was born in Monticello, Florida. He graduated Memorial Junior High School, Orlando, FL; joined USN October 1, 1941. Served the following ships and stations: 1942-1943, USN Section Base, Mayport, FL onboard for commissioning: 1943-1945. (LST-120) Duval County South Pacific (assault boat, coxswain, five invasions) 1945, Commencement Bay (CVE-105) Seattle, WA; 1945 Saidor (CVE-117) Seattle, WA (onboard for commissions); 1946, Nassau (CVE-16) San Diego, CA; 1946, Staff, Commander Air Force, Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, T.H.; 1946 VR-12 (Transport Sqdn.) Pearl Harbor, T.H.; 1946, VR-11 (Transport Sqdn. 11) Kwajalein, Marshall Islands (A-test); 1947 VR-6 (Transport Sqdn. 6) Guam; 1947-1948, USN School, Salvage Diver, Bayonne, NJ, 1948 Bluebird (ASR-19) Pearl Harbor, T.H.; 1948-1949, Sarsu (ATF-111)Pearl Harbor, T.H.; 1949-1952 NAS, Memphis, TN (Armes Service Police); 1952-1953, Leo (AKA-60) Oakland, CA (ammo ship off Korea one year); 1953 Calloosahatchee (Ao-98 Newport, RI; 1954-1955, Atakapa (ATF-149_ Norfolk, VA; 1955-1958, Escape (ARS-6) San Juan, P.R.; 1958-196, Fleet Training Group, Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; 1961 Deep Sea Diving School, Washington, DC; 1961-1962 Explosive Ordnance Station, Newport, RI (OinCYDT-4); 1961 Deep Sea Diving School, Indian Head, MD; 1962-1965, NAS Cecil Field, FL (EOD); 1967-1969 Mauna Loa (AE-8) Bayonne, NJ (eight months off Vietnam, (EOD); 1969 Explosive Ordinance Disposal Group, Atlantic, Fort Story, VA (EOD); 1969-1971 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Detachment, NAS Cecil Field, FL. Discharged October 1, 1971 with the rank BMCS, Campaign Medals and ribbons include eight Good Conduct Medals, American Defense, American Campaign, European Campaign, five Asiatic-Pacific, WWII Victory, WWII Occupation (Japan) Navy China Service, National Defense, one Korean Service, United Nations Service, Philippine Liberation, Vietnam Service and Republic of Vietnam Campaign. Employed USN Civil Service Weapons Department, NAS Cecil Field, FL, retired December 1, 1989. Joined FRA Branch 91 Jacksonville, FL in 1954. Served as 1st vice president. Mr. Sawley was a member of Fleet Reserve, VFW 7079 and Morocco Lodge Shine #126. He was a member of Hyde Park Baptist Church, 2000 Lane Ave. S. Jacksonville, where service will be held Monday, November 5, 2012 at 11:00 AM with Dr. Loy W. Reed officiating. The family will receive friends Sunday from 7 to 9 PM at the church. He was preceded in death by his son James Robert Sawley. Survivors include his wife of 65 years Betty Sawley, 3 daughters Sandra Kay Reed, Debra Sligar (Butch) and Rebecca Fondry (Terry), brother, Ernest Milton Sawley, 5 grandchildren Dana Tibbetts, Meredithe Nissen, L.J. Hammonds, Eric and Robert Sligar and 12 great-grandchildren. Interment with full military honors will be held in Jacksonville Memory Gardens, Orange Park. Arrangements by HARDAGE-GIDDENS RIVERMEAD FUNERAL HOME, 127 Blanding Blvd. Orange Park, FL 32073. Post tributes at www.hardage-giddensrivermead.com. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256.