Another Iowa Ship
Mrs. L. E. Draper, Buckingham township, Tama county, one of the Iowa relatives of the late Ernest L. Hilbert, gunner lost in the battle of the Midway Islands, June 4, 1942, attended the christening ceremonies of the U.S.S. Hilbert at San Pedro, Calif., recently. Hilbert, for whom the vessel was named, was a nephew of Mrs. Draper. His parents were one-time residents of North Tama county.
Source: The Anamosa Journal, Anamosa, Iowa, Monday, August 26, 1943
NOTE: Aviation Ordnancemen Ernest Lenard Hilbert, born at Quinn, South Dakota on June 14, 1920, was killed during the Battle of Midway. His skillful and continuous fire enabled his pilot to escape enemy fighter attacks. In the second attack, he was shot down. Hilbert was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
USS Hilbert (DE-742), a Cannon-class destroyer escort, was launched on July 18, 1943. She was engaged in the Battle of the Philippine Sea where she protected U.S. oilers that provided fuel to the task force. During her service in the Pacific she earned eight battle stars. She was decommissioned on June 19, 1946 and joined the Reserve Fleet.
Transcription & Note by Sharon R. Becker, Jan 2013
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