U.S. Navy BMC - Boatswain's Mate Chief Petty Officer (E-7) World War II Veteran, and EAS-15 Supervisor of the USPS for thirty-seven years combined federal service. Enjoyed reading naval books, and fishing.

Husband of Sarah Ellen Whitehead Berry.

Father of two siblings: James Berton "Jimmy" Berry, and Sue Ellen Berry Reich.

Enlisted on January 7, 1938 at Texarkana, Arkansas. Completed his basic training at Company 2 Naval Training Center, San Diego, California. Served aboard the USS Brooks DD-232, USS Davis DD-395 (plank owner), USS Norris DD-859, destroyers, and USS Yorktown CV-10 (plank owner) an aircraft carrier. He was initiated into the Domain of Neptunus Rex twice as a Shellback, and as a Dragonback. His dutiful service earned him these decorations: American Defense Bronze "A" medal, Asiatic-Pacific medal w/10 stars, European-African-Middle Eastern medal with w/1 star, Philippine Liberation medal, American Area medal, and the WWII Victory medal. Discharged Honorably on January 29, 1947 at the Receiving Station, San Francisco, California achieving the rank of Boatswain's Mate Chief Petty Officer (E-7), while completing 9 years, and 26 days of service to his country.

See Photo: Boatswain's Mate Glenn Amos Berry (right with naval boatswains pipe -whistle) pipes aboard First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt onboard USS Yorktown CV-10 an aircraft carrier moored at Pearl Harbor 1943. Eleven naval battles versus Japan in the Pacific Ocean will be fought until V-J (Victory Over Japan) day, August 14th, 1945 as announced in the U.S.A.. Yorktown earned 11 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation during World War II and five battle stars for Vietnam service. Battle results versus Japan: 472 aircraft shot down & 1886 damaged with a 11.5:1 kill ratio, ships sunk 199 & 329 damaged.

Mr. Berry held many varied positions throughout his postal career after the U.S. Navy. His last assignment was of great significance. Holding the position of EAS (Executive, and Administrative Salary) Level 15, within the AIS (Address Information System) department located at the GMF (General Mail Facility), 2400 Texas Ave., Shreveport, Caddo, Louisiana 71102-9998, he was one of a two man team responsible to assign the "Zip +4" Zip Code (9 digits) to all residences, businesses, and buildings of Northwest, Northeast, and Central Louisiana. The significance achieved, was to enable the U.S. Postal Service's 95/95 Plan to be implemented on time, to wit, to have 95% of all mail automated by 1995. From the Zip +4 database detailing, it lead the way for letters, large envelopes, magazines, and parcels to be read by barcodes, and sorted by automation, and mechanization to the final delivery point sort for the postal letter carrier to deliver the mail. During his postal career he had over 50+ employee suggestions approved, and implemented to increase productivity. Mr. Berry retired on July 3, 1984 with 37 years combined federal service.

Note: Mr. Berry was preceded in death by his granddaughter Jessica Ann (infant) Reich
Find A Grave Memorial# 124747961.
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Who was my father?
.
Youth
At the turn of the 21st Century, the media began to refer to him as one of the greatest generation. The first adversity he faced in his youth was being raised in the Great Depression. Born in Arkadelphia, Clark County, Arkansas he was the second of four siblings of Bert (Berty) Lee Berry, and Chloe Lois Fendley. His father was hired as a weekend gate guard to an oil field in north Caddo Parish, Louisiana with instructions to protect the property, and not allow anyone in on the weekends. Should have known he would be challenged, and soon comes this big Cadillac with a distinguished looking man wearing a white cowboy hat, and boots, steps out to say "let me to inspect the wells". Grandfather Bert replied, "I am sorry sir, but I have been given instructions not to let anyone enter, and if I do, I will be fired with my family to go hungry." The tall gentlemen handed him a business card with verbal instructions to take this to Philips in Shreveport. On the reverse side of the card it said, "hire this man immediately, and permanently, signed Chief Engineer, Shreveport." This led to a 35 year plus career with Philips Oil as a pumper, and his work led the family from Arkansas, to a small town of Ibex, Shackelford County, Texas, Little Chief, Osage, Oklahoma, and McLeod, Cass County, Texas. So, now you begin to witness the character building of my father Glenn. One day Dad Glenn was walking home from school to see something shining in the road. He picked it up to dust it off to discover a pocket watch with no crystal, nor hands. Taken home to give to his father Bert, it was repaired for 8 bits ($ 0.125 cents). Grandpa Bert carried this Illinois pocket watch until he retired from Philips Oil at which time he was given a retirement watch for his 35 years of service to the company. Grandpa Bert gave it to his son Glenn who gave it to his son James Berton who gave it to his son Jay Bernard, to wit, four generations. Dad Glenn did a lot of trapping during his teenage years for extra money for there was no such thing as an allowance during the depression. He regretful choice was skunks, which led to his unpopularity at school. Whenever, he neared the wood burning heater in a one room school, he began to lose friends rapidly. LOL. Dad Glenn had an encounter with dynamite blasting caps, which led to scaring on his legs. In Ibex, Texas he killed a large rattlesnake, which he kept the skin. I discovered in his leather Navy cruise scrapbook when I was a child giving me quite a thrill when turning the page. Dad Glenn joined the US Navy circa 1938.

Early Manhood (second adversity)
U.S. Navy

Dad Glenn enlisted on January 7, 1938 at Texarkana, Arkansas. Completed his basic training at Company 2 Naval Training Center, San Diego, California. His first duty was the USS Brooks (DD-232) a Clemson-class destroyer. The Brooks was recommissioned 25 April 1939 and assigned to the Neutrality Patrol on the Atlantic coast where she remained until she joined the Local Defense Force, 13th Naval District, in November 1940. His second duty was the USS Davis (DD-395) a 
Somers-class destroyer. It was commissioned 9 November 1938, and Dad Glenn was a shipmate of the commissioning crew, to wit, a plank owner. The Davis was assigned to Neutrality Patrol in the North Atlantic after World War II broke out in Europe 1 September 1939. On 13 November she sailed from Boston, Massachusetts for Galveston, Texas, from which she patrolled in the Gulf of Mexico and conducted training exercises until clearing for patrol duty on the west coast between 11 March 1940 and 26 April 1941. She returned to the Caribbean for patrol and escort duty. Continuing to serve in the Caribbean, after the United States entered the war, Davis also sailed on escort and patrol off Recife, Brazil, occasionally voyaging to the southern ports of the United States to pick up men and cargo, or to join convoys. His third duty was the USS Yorktown (CV-10) an Essex-class aircraft carrier. Dad Glenn was a plank owner, to wit, shipmate of the commissioning crew of April 1943. Shipmate's of the Yorktown participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning 11 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation. Battle results versus Japan: 472 aircraft shot down & 1886 damaged with a 11.5:1 kill ratio, ships sunk 199 & 329 damaged. He was initiated into the Domain of Neptunus Rex twice as a Shellback, and as a Dragonback crossing the Equator twice. His fourth duty was the USS Norris (DD-895) a Gearing-class destroyer. This was Dad Glenn's final duty in the Pacific Theatre of Operations prior to his Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Navy on 29 January 1947, completing 9 years, and 26 days of service to his country. In World War II there were 16 million men, and women defending freedom, while 400,000 made the ultimate sacrifice. They returned home, to start families, and build an historic economy.

His rank, and military decorations for World War II service are:

Awarded American Campaign Medal recognizes those service members who had performed duty in the American Theater of Operations during World War II.

Awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 1 gold star, to wit, first, and second award.

Awarded the Asiatic-Pacific campaign Medal with 10 Gold Stars, to wit, participated in 11 naval battles

Awarded The American Defense Service Medal with Bronze "A" device of World War II. to wit, a member of the Navy who served duty in actual or potential belligerent contact with Axis Powers in the Atlantic Ocean between June 22 and December 7, 1941.

Awarded The Philippine Liberation Medal.

Awarded The World War II Victory Medal.

Achieved the the rank of Boatswain's Mate Chief Petty Officer (E-7), U.S. Navy.

After World War II
Caddo Pine Island Oil Fields, north Caddo Parish, Louisiana. Dad Glenn was employed by Carl Morris Well Service in Oil City, Caddo Parish, Louisiana 71061. He held down the job descriptions of book keeper, and roughneck. As a little boy, I can remember his silver oil field safety helmet, and small green tool box he would take to work. We lived in Vivian, Caddo Parish, Louisiana 71082. Many a times I got to ride in the big World War II 2 ton truck he would be home from work. He worked as a team with his brother-in-law, Henry William Deville of Deville, Rapides Parish, Louisiana 71328. Today the Oil, and Gas Museum of Louisiana is located in Oil City, Louisiana 71061 which commemorates those who participated in the development of energy in Louisiana.

Shreveport Trolley Company of the City of Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana. Dad Glenn was employed as a cashier. He would board the trolleys, and return receipts to the cashier cage. Many a fellow veteran was employed there after World War II.

U.S. Post Office Department, which in 1971 evolved into the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). In the mid 1950's Dad Glenn gained employment as a distribution clerk sorting mail at the old Federal Building now the downtown Shreve Memorial Library. He and other veterans had made their way for a more secure income from the Trolley Company. This employment was a big turning point in the care of his family. He was able to purchase a new brick home in a new subdivision named Cherokee Park in north Shreveport. Moving from Vivian to Shreveport in 1956 gave the advantages of a large city, whereas, Vivian and the oil patch was beginning to downsize. During his postal career he performed jobs such as distribution clerk, window services clerk, Express Mail Clerk, Civil Service Examiner, Officer in Charge of Associate Post Offices in the 710 ZIP Code area, and the position of EAS (Executive, and Administrative Salary) Level 15, within the AIS (Address Information System) department located at the GMF (General Mail Facility), 2400 Texas Ave., Shreveport, Caddo, Louisiana 71102-9998, he was one of a two man team responsible to assign the "Zip +4" Zip Code (9 digits) to all residences, businesses, and buildings of Northwest, Northeast, and Central Louisiana.The significance achieved, was to enable the U.S. Postal Service's 95/95 Plan to be implemented on time, to wit, to have 95% of all mail automated by 1995. From the Zip +4 database detailing, it lead the way for letters, large envelopes, magazines, and parcels to be read by barcodes, and sorted by automation, and mechanization to the final delivery point sort for the postal letter carrier to deliver the mail. During his postal career he had over 50+ employee suggestions approved, and implemented to increase productivity. Mr. Berry retired on July 3, 1984 with 37 years combined federal service.

After USPS
Retirement didn't slow down Dad Glenn. He gained employment at a local delivery service of Corporate Express which evolved into Asap Express Delivery in Shreveport. He earned Employee of the Month recognition for his dutiful service to his customers. He retired in 2001 at the age of 80 to care for the failing health of wife Sarah Ellen Whitehead Berry.

What my father taught me.
Duty, Honor, Country.
When I was 6 years old, I discovered my father's photo leather cover scrapbook. This was a revelation in my life, whereas, I saw his family photos, and significantly battle pictures of his World War II service. My father was rather humble, not to talk about World War II until his first cancer surgery in 1988, whereas, he revealed for the first time he saw 5,000 men die in one day. Many a time I have opened this scrapbook which I treasure to this very day visually recognizing the many lessons of life documented among it's pages. It taught me to be organized, document family history which led me to develop my family genealogy, and begin my love of photography.

Taking me fishing taught me the art of patience.

Dad Glenn was an avid reader, to wit, he read a minimum of three books a week. He taught me the power of knowledge.

About money, he told me to have a reserve (savings) for the unexpected. He was a thrifty man, having lived the lessons of the Great Depression.

He taught me to pay attention to your surroundings, whereas, one can improve upon them. During his postal career he had over 50+ employee suggestions approved, and implemented to increase productivity.

The art of being organized. Dad Glenn taught me how to take things apart, and put them back together. Today I benefit by being able to do small repairs on my automobile, lawn equipment, and home appliances. Being organized was my biggest asset while working at the Post Office. As a supervisor I was able to increase productivity by enabling everyone to work on the same page as a team.

Be dedicated to your chosen career work, whereas, to gain the earned benefits for one's future. When I was a child my aunts, and uncles where having to move away from my home town of Vivian to gain employment for the town was economically down sizing. I knew what I wanted to do in a career at 16 years old. I took competitive the Civil Service Examination for the Post Office, and passed, to be hired at the age of 19. I retired with 37 years later, as did my father, to enjoy the benefits forever.

On May 25th, 2005, I was with my father for the last time. Holding his hand while he passed into eternal sleep, with God's grace he was softly promoted to heaven.

James Berton "Jimmy" Berry, his son.
Father's Day 2013 forever!
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US Department of Veterans Affairs Nationwide Gravesite Locator

BERRY, GLENN A
BMC US NAVY
WORLD WAR II
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/24/1920
DATE OF DEATH: 05/25/2005
BURIED AT:
BIB ISLAND BAPTIST CHURCH CEM
DEVILLE, LA 71328
(318) 222-5543