Laurus Payton SF 2-c has been killed in action in the Pacific area, his father, L.E. Payton of Wilburn was notified by the Navy Department Friday.
SF 2-c Payton, who graduated from the Wilburn High School in 1940, had been in the service for about 3 years. His last leave spent at home was about a year ago.
In addition to his father, SF Payton is survived by two brothers, Oather and Clarence Payton, both of Tyler, and three sisters. Mrs. Ola Stonewalter and Mrs. Vivian Holiman, both of Wilburn, and Mrs. Hester Gann of Searcy.
November 16, 1944.
Early October 24, a task group, consisting of the Essex, Lexington, Langley, Princeton, Washington, South Dakota, Massachusetts, Alabama, Santa Fe, Mobile, Reno, Birmingham and 17 screening destroyers was zig-ziggaing towards Luzon for strikes in support of land operations on Leyte. At 0930 a lone Japanese dive bomber dropped a 500 pound bomb squarely in the middle of the flight deck of the light carrier Princeton. The Princeton, burning badly, had dropped out of formation, and a few minutes later the Birmingham was ordered to fall out, take charge of the Reno, Gatling, Irwin, and Cassin Young, and proceeded to the assistance of the burning ship. At 1030, the men of the Princeton could be seen abandoning ship. As the Birmingham drew alongside, topside personnel had a close up of the havoc wrought by the bomb. The flight deck was torn up, the hangar deck gutted, and few intact planes were visible. 40mm. mounts swung at random, and small calibre ammunition exploded sporadically. As the two ships crunched together, hoses from the Birmingham began playing on the fires. At 1300, the captain of the Princeton, still aboard his ship, reported that he thought the fires were getting under control. Twenty minutes later a possible sub contact and reported Bogies forced the Birmingham to pull away and screen the Princeton with the other ships At about 1430, all was clear and the sub contact evaluated as false. Captain Inglis took position to put the Birmingham alongside again. At 1520, a spring line was made fast to the carrier, the ships then being separated by about 50 feet. At 1522, the Princeton's after magazines exploded, including a torpedo' warhead locker. The starboard side of the Birmingham and all the men topside there - fire fighters, line handlers, gun crews, towing detail and the watch topside-received the full effect of the blast. It is impossible to convey verbally or in writing the horror of the scene. No person knows or ever will know what it was like unless he was there. Nor will those aboard on that day ever forget. Suffice it to state the figures: 239 dead; 408 wounded; 4 missing. It was an ironic touch of fate that our casualties, were triple those of the Princeton. In the hours that followed, bravery was commonplace. All hands that could be spared, including many painfully injured, turned to caring for the wounded The Birmingham, now commanded by Commander Winston P. Folk, as Captain Inglis was among those wounded, took charge of the Irwin, Gatling, and Morrison, and headed for Ulithi. There were still wounded men whom the doctors had been unable to reach during the three day trip to Ulithi. Throughout this trip, our Padre conducted burial services on the fantail for our 200 dead. It was a heart breaking scene as friend after friend was placed on the port side, identified, and then slipped over.
We arrived at Ulithi on October 27th. We immediately went alongside the hospital ship SAMARITAN, and transferred all seriously wounded. We got underway for Pearl on the 31st. On November 4th, the chaplain held memorial services on the fantail for those who died in the explosion. Pearl Harbor looked mighty good on the lOth; Golden Gate looked even better on the 17th. Glad as we were to get home, our thoughts dwelt often with those who didn't, and never would, make it.
Excerpts take from: United States Navy, "The saga of the U.S.S. Birmingham: a compilation of her officers & men" (1945).World War Regimental Histories. Book 163
He was awarded the Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and is memorialized in the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Larus E. Payton
Shipfitter Second Class, U.S. Navy
Entered the Service From: Arkansas
Service #: 3468724
Date of Death: October 24, 1944
Status: Buried At Sea
Memorialized:
Tablets of the Missing
Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines
Awards
Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
SF 2-c Payton, who graduated from the Wilburn High School in 1940, had been in the service for about 3 years. His last leave spent at home was about a year ago.
In addition to his father, SF Payton is survived by two brothers, Oather and Clarence Payton, both of Tyler, and three sisters. Mrs. Ola Stonewalter and Mrs. Vivian Holiman, both of Wilburn, and Mrs. Hester Gann of Searcy.
November 16, 1944.
Early October 24, a task group, consisting of the Essex, Lexington, Langley, Princeton, Washington, South Dakota, Massachusetts, Alabama, Santa Fe, Mobile, Reno, Birmingham and 17 screening destroyers was zig-ziggaing towards Luzon for strikes in support of land operations on Leyte. At 0930 a lone Japanese dive bomber dropped a 500 pound bomb squarely in the middle of the flight deck of the light carrier Princeton. The Princeton, burning badly, had dropped out of formation, and a few minutes later the Birmingham was ordered to fall out, take charge of the Reno, Gatling, Irwin, and Cassin Young, and proceeded to the assistance of the burning ship. At 1030, the men of the Princeton could be seen abandoning ship. As the Birmingham drew alongside, topside personnel had a close up of the havoc wrought by the bomb. The flight deck was torn up, the hangar deck gutted, and few intact planes were visible. 40mm. mounts swung at random, and small calibre ammunition exploded sporadically. As the two ships crunched together, hoses from the Birmingham began playing on the fires. At 1300, the captain of the Princeton, still aboard his ship, reported that he thought the fires were getting under control. Twenty minutes later a possible sub contact and reported Bogies forced the Birmingham to pull away and screen the Princeton with the other ships At about 1430, all was clear and the sub contact evaluated as false. Captain Inglis took position to put the Birmingham alongside again. At 1520, a spring line was made fast to the carrier, the ships then being separated by about 50 feet. At 1522, the Princeton's after magazines exploded, including a torpedo' warhead locker. The starboard side of the Birmingham and all the men topside there - fire fighters, line handlers, gun crews, towing detail and the watch topside-received the full effect of the blast. It is impossible to convey verbally or in writing the horror of the scene. No person knows or ever will know what it was like unless he was there. Nor will those aboard on that day ever forget. Suffice it to state the figures: 239 dead; 408 wounded; 4 missing. It was an ironic touch of fate that our casualties, were triple those of the Princeton. In the hours that followed, bravery was commonplace. All hands that could be spared, including many painfully injured, turned to caring for the wounded The Birmingham, now commanded by Commander Winston P. Folk, as Captain Inglis was among those wounded, took charge of the Irwin, Gatling, and Morrison, and headed for Ulithi. There were still wounded men whom the doctors had been unable to reach during the three day trip to Ulithi. Throughout this trip, our Padre conducted burial services on the fantail for our 200 dead. It was a heart breaking scene as friend after friend was placed on the port side, identified, and then slipped over.
We arrived at Ulithi on October 27th. We immediately went alongside the hospital ship SAMARITAN, and transferred all seriously wounded. We got underway for Pearl on the 31st. On November 4th, the chaplain held memorial services on the fantail for those who died in the explosion. Pearl Harbor looked mighty good on the lOth; Golden Gate looked even better on the 17th. Glad as we were to get home, our thoughts dwelt often with those who didn't, and never would, make it.
Excerpts take from: United States Navy, "The saga of the U.S.S. Birmingham: a compilation of her officers & men" (1945).World War Regimental Histories. Book 163
He was awarded the Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and is memorialized in the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Larus E. Payton
Shipfitter Second Class, U.S. Navy
Entered the Service From: Arkansas
Service #: 3468724
Date of Death: October 24, 1944
Status: Buried At Sea
Memorialized:
Tablets of the Missing
Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines
Awards
Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Laurus Payton SF 2-c has been killed in action in the Pacific area, his father, L.E. Payton of Wilburn was notified by the Navy Department Friday.
SF 2-c Payton, who graduated from the Wilburn High School in 1940, had been in the service for about 3 years. His last leave spent at home was about a year ago.
In addition to his father, SF Payton is survived by two brothers, Oather and Clarence Payton, both of Tyler, and three sisters. Mrs. Ola Stonewalter and Mrs. Vivian Holiman, both of Wilburn, and Mrs. Hester Gann of Searcy.
November 16, 1944.
Early October 24, a task group, consisting of the Essex, Lexington, Langley, Princeton, Washington, South Dakota, Massachusetts, Alabama, Santa Fe, Mobile, Reno, Birmingham and 17 screening destroyers was zig-ziggaing towards Luzon for strikes in support of land operations on Leyte. At 0930 a lone Japanese dive bomber dropped a 500 pound bomb squarely in the middle of the flight deck of the light carrier Princeton. The Princeton, burning badly, had dropped out of formation, and a few minutes later the Birmingham was ordered to fall out, take charge of the Reno, Gatling, Irwin, and Cassin Young, and proceeded to the assistance of the burning ship. At 1030, the men of the Princeton could be seen abandoning ship. As the Birmingham drew alongside, topside personnel had a close up of the havoc wrought by the bomb. The flight deck was torn up, the hangar deck gutted, and few intact planes were visible. 40mm. mounts swung at random, and small calibre ammunition exploded sporadically. As the two ships crunched together, hoses from the Birmingham began playing on the fires. At 1300, the captain of the Princeton, still aboard his ship, reported that he thought the fires were getting under control. Twenty minutes later a possible sub contact and reported Bogies forced the Birmingham to pull away and screen the Princeton with the other ships At about 1430, all was clear and the sub contact evaluated as false. Captain Inglis took position to put the Birmingham alongside again. At 1520, a spring line was made fast to the carrier, the ships then being separated by about 50 feet. At 1522, the Princeton's after magazines exploded, including a torpedo' warhead locker. The starboard side of the Birmingham and all the men topside there - fire fighters, line handlers, gun crews, towing detail and the watch topside-received the full effect of the blast. It is impossible to convey verbally or in writing the horror of the scene. No person knows or ever will know what it was like unless he was there. Nor will those aboard on that day ever forget. Suffice it to state the figures: 239 dead; 408 wounded; 4 missing. It was an ironic touch of fate that our casualties, were triple those of the Princeton. In the hours that followed, bravery was commonplace. All hands that could be spared, including many painfully injured, turned to caring for the wounded The Birmingham, now commanded by Commander Winston P. Folk, as Captain Inglis was among those wounded, took charge of the Irwin, Gatling, and Morrison, and headed for Ulithi. There were still wounded men whom the doctors had been unable to reach during the three day trip to Ulithi. Throughout this trip, our Padre conducted burial services on the fantail for our 200 dead. It was a heart breaking scene as friend after friend was placed on the port side, identified, and then slipped over.
We arrived at Ulithi on October 27th. We immediately went alongside the hospital ship SAMARITAN, and transferred all seriously wounded. We got underway for Pearl on the 31st. On November 4th, the chaplain held memorial services on the fantail for those who died in the explosion. Pearl Harbor looked mighty good on the lOth; Golden Gate looked even better on the 17th. Glad as we were to get home, our thoughts dwelt often with those who didn't, and never would, make it.
Excerpts take from: United States Navy, "The saga of the U.S.S. Birmingham: a compilation of her officers & men" (1945).World War Regimental Histories. Book 163
He was awarded the Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and is memorialized in the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Larus E. Payton
Shipfitter Second Class, U.S. Navy
Entered the Service From: Arkansas
Service #: 3468724
Date of Death: October 24, 1944
Status: Buried At Sea
Memorialized:
Tablets of the Missing
Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines
Awards
Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
SF 2-c Payton, who graduated from the Wilburn High School in 1940, had been in the service for about 3 years. His last leave spent at home was about a year ago.
In addition to his father, SF Payton is survived by two brothers, Oather and Clarence Payton, both of Tyler, and three sisters. Mrs. Ola Stonewalter and Mrs. Vivian Holiman, both of Wilburn, and Mrs. Hester Gann of Searcy.
November 16, 1944.
Early October 24, a task group, consisting of the Essex, Lexington, Langley, Princeton, Washington, South Dakota, Massachusetts, Alabama, Santa Fe, Mobile, Reno, Birmingham and 17 screening destroyers was zig-ziggaing towards Luzon for strikes in support of land operations on Leyte. At 0930 a lone Japanese dive bomber dropped a 500 pound bomb squarely in the middle of the flight deck of the light carrier Princeton. The Princeton, burning badly, had dropped out of formation, and a few minutes later the Birmingham was ordered to fall out, take charge of the Reno, Gatling, Irwin, and Cassin Young, and proceeded to the assistance of the burning ship. At 1030, the men of the Princeton could be seen abandoning ship. As the Birmingham drew alongside, topside personnel had a close up of the havoc wrought by the bomb. The flight deck was torn up, the hangar deck gutted, and few intact planes were visible. 40mm. mounts swung at random, and small calibre ammunition exploded sporadically. As the two ships crunched together, hoses from the Birmingham began playing on the fires. At 1300, the captain of the Princeton, still aboard his ship, reported that he thought the fires were getting under control. Twenty minutes later a possible sub contact and reported Bogies forced the Birmingham to pull away and screen the Princeton with the other ships At about 1430, all was clear and the sub contact evaluated as false. Captain Inglis took position to put the Birmingham alongside again. At 1520, a spring line was made fast to the carrier, the ships then being separated by about 50 feet. At 1522, the Princeton's after magazines exploded, including a torpedo' warhead locker. The starboard side of the Birmingham and all the men topside there - fire fighters, line handlers, gun crews, towing detail and the watch topside-received the full effect of the blast. It is impossible to convey verbally or in writing the horror of the scene. No person knows or ever will know what it was like unless he was there. Nor will those aboard on that day ever forget. Suffice it to state the figures: 239 dead; 408 wounded; 4 missing. It was an ironic touch of fate that our casualties, were triple those of the Princeton. In the hours that followed, bravery was commonplace. All hands that could be spared, including many painfully injured, turned to caring for the wounded The Birmingham, now commanded by Commander Winston P. Folk, as Captain Inglis was among those wounded, took charge of the Irwin, Gatling, and Morrison, and headed for Ulithi. There were still wounded men whom the doctors had been unable to reach during the three day trip to Ulithi. Throughout this trip, our Padre conducted burial services on the fantail for our 200 dead. It was a heart breaking scene as friend after friend was placed on the port side, identified, and then slipped over.
We arrived at Ulithi on October 27th. We immediately went alongside the hospital ship SAMARITAN, and transferred all seriously wounded. We got underway for Pearl on the 31st. On November 4th, the chaplain held memorial services on the fantail for those who died in the explosion. Pearl Harbor looked mighty good on the lOth; Golden Gate looked even better on the 17th. Glad as we were to get home, our thoughts dwelt often with those who didn't, and never would, make it.
Excerpts take from: United States Navy, "The saga of the U.S.S. Birmingham: a compilation of her officers & men" (1945).World War Regimental Histories. Book 163
He was awarded the Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and is memorialized in the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.
Larus E. Payton
Shipfitter Second Class, U.S. Navy
Entered the Service From: Arkansas
Service #: 3468724
Date of Death: October 24, 1944
Status: Buried At Sea
Memorialized:
Tablets of the Missing
Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines
Awards
Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Gravesite Details
Manila American Cemetery Memorial # 56777118
Family Members
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Records on Ancestry
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1940 United States Federal Census
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U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985
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U.S., Navy Casualties Books, 1776-1941
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U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949
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Global, Find a Grave® Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current
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