US Navy WORLD WAR II
Lieutenant Commander, Paul W. Burton MIA/KIA
Hometown: Asbury Park, New Jersey
Ship: USS Macaw (ASR-11
Service #0-072367
Awards:
Captain: Lt. Cmdr. Paul Willits Burton MIA/KIA
Mission: Rescue mission
Mission Date: 13-Feb-44
Location: Midway Island
Cause: Lost overboard while attempting to rescue USS Flier
Crew: of 102 officers and enlisted 5 MIA/KIA
The Submarine Rescue Ship USS Macaw (ASR-11) sank while attempting to rescue USS Flier (SS-250), which had run aground at Midway. Although a total of 115 officers and men survived the sinking, five men were lost, including the Commanding Officer, Paul Willits Burton.
Departing California 28 August 1943, after shakedown and training exercises, Macaw steamed in convoy to Espiritu Santo, arriving 2 October. Thence proceeding to Funafuti, via Wallis Island, she charted previously unknown reefs. She anchored off Funafuti on the 16th and remained until 13 November when she was ordered back to Pearl Harbor. Spending only a short time in Hawaii, Macaw departed for Midway Island. Macaw was sunk at Midway Island on 12 February 1944 while attempting to rescue USS Flier that had run aground, 16 January 1944. During the sinking her commanding officer and four crewmen were killed after abandoning ship during a storm.
Macaw was struck from the Navy list 25 March 1944.
Macaw was awarded one battle star for World War II service
USS Macaw KIA
William Roscoe Funk
Lewis Andrew Kingsley
Robert Andrew Vaughn
Donald A. Whitmarsh
Paul Willits Burton
US Navy WORLD WAR II
Lieutenant Commander, Paul W. Burton MIA/KIA
Hometown: Asbury Park, New Jersey
Ship: USS Macaw (ASR-11
Service #0-072367
Awards:
Captain: Lt. Cmdr. Paul Willits Burton MIA/KIA
Mission: Rescue mission
Mission Date: 13-Feb-44
Location: Midway Island
Cause: Lost overboard while attempting to rescue USS Flier
Crew: of 102 officers and enlisted 5 MIA/KIA
The Submarine Rescue Ship USS Macaw (ASR-11) sank while attempting to rescue USS Flier (SS-250), which had run aground at Midway. Although a total of 115 officers and men survived the sinking, five men were lost, including the Commanding Officer, Paul Willits Burton.
Departing California 28 August 1943, after shakedown and training exercises, Macaw steamed in convoy to Espiritu Santo, arriving 2 October. Thence proceeding to Funafuti, via Wallis Island, she charted previously unknown reefs. She anchored off Funafuti on the 16th and remained until 13 November when she was ordered back to Pearl Harbor. Spending only a short time in Hawaii, Macaw departed for Midway Island. Macaw was sunk at Midway Island on 12 February 1944 while attempting to rescue USS Flier that had run aground, 16 January 1944. During the sinking her commanding officer and four crewmen were killed after abandoning ship during a storm.
Macaw was struck from the Navy list 25 March 1944.
Macaw was awarded one battle star for World War II service
USS Macaw KIA
William Roscoe Funk
Lewis Andrew Kingsley
Robert Andrew Vaughn
Donald A. Whitmarsh
Paul Willits Burton
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from New Jersey.
Family Members
Flowers
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Records on Ancestry
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LtCdr Paul Willits Burton
U.S., Newspapers.com™ Marriage Index, 1800s-2020
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LtCdr Paul Willits Burton
U.S., Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940
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LtCdr Paul Willits Burton
U.S., Newspapers.com™ Obituary Index, 1800s-current
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LtCdr Paul Willits Burton
1940 United States Federal Census
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LtCdr Paul Willits Burton
U.S., Select Military Registers, 1862-1985
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