Scott City vet attends memorial dedication

World War II was fought 60 years ago, but the dwindling number of veterans finally got their own overdue memorial in Washington, D.C.

Joseph Claude Sanders of Scott City served as a naval aviator in the Pacific during World War II. He went to Washington, D.C., for the National World War II Memorial dedication ceremony May 29 as a representative of SBC Communications, his employer for 35 years before he retired.

Born in 1926 on a farm near Commerce, Mo., Sanders was 17 when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in St. Louis on April 7, 1944. He and his platoon completed a 13-week training program in four weeks. A couple of weeks later, Sanders was sent to a place in the Marshall Islands called Eniwetok. Years later the atoll became famous as the site where the U.S. tested the first thermonuclear device.

Sanders was stationed on the USS Princeton, an aircraft carrier, and worked his way up to plane captain of the F6F5 HellCat. The plane captain takes care of the plane by keeping it clean and making sure the mechanics are in order.

At 9:38 a.m. on Oct. 24,1944, a single Japanese dive bomber dropped a 550-pound bomb on the center of the USS Princeton during the second Battle of the Phillipines. The carrier caught fire and the men were given orders to abandon ship.

Nine of the American planes from the Princeton were in the air at the time of the attack, and they destroyed 34 Japanese planes. Of the 1,500 men in the USS Princeton crew, 114 men were killed and 190 were wounded during the attack.

The USS Birmingham was nearby helping to put out the fire when an ammunition explosion claimed the lives of 241 men and wounded 412 others, bringing the total amount of American casualties in the battle to 957 men killed and wounded.

Prior to the carrier's demise, the USS Princeton had destroyed 186 Japanese planes and eight Japanese ships during the war. It was dark when a destroyer, the USS Morrison, picked up the Princeton survivors. They had been in the water for more than eight hours.

The crew was taken to San Diego and given a 30-day leave. Sanders stayed in California and trained pilots to land on aircraft carriers until he was honorably discharged from the Navy on June 7, 1946.

Sanders joined the SEMO Telephone Company in 1949. The company was acquired by SBC Communications in 1951. He worked for the company as an installer/repairman and switchman until his retirement in 1983. Sanders has been a Telephone Pioneer member since 1969 and holds an office in the Show-Me Council.

The National World War II Memorial was authorized by Congress on May 26, 1993. Construction began on Sept. 4, 2001. It was funded primarily by private contributors who provided more than $195 million in cash and pledges. Established by the American Battle Monuments Commission, the memorial honors military veterans of war, citizens on the home front, the nation at large and the high moral purpose that motivated the nation's call to arms.

SBC Communications sent 15 former SBC employees who are WW II veterans to the memorial dedication. Sanders was honored to be selected as the representative for Missouri.

"We live in the greatest country in the world. I am proud to be an American. This memorial means so much to my entire generation," said Sanders. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to represent SBC and Telephone Pioneers for the state of Missouri."

The dedication attracted 115,000 veterans and their families and more than 315,000 visitors over the Memorial Day weekend. It included four events: the National World War II Reunion, a salute to World War II veterans, a Service of Celebration and the dedication of the National World War II Memorial. Speakers included President Bush, former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, WW II veteran and former Sen. Bob Dole, and actor Tom Hanks, who was a major lobbyist and contributor for the memorial.

"The memorial is very nice. It's a beautiful work of art. I couldn't be any more honored," said Sanders.

He pointed out that only one-fourth of the men and women who served in World War II are still alive. "I'm glad I got to see a Memorial dedicated to the men who served our country during that time," he said.

In a statement, U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Missouri, said Sanders represented the many Missourians who served the nation during this pivotal point in history. "Scott City's own Joe Sanders is one of Missouri's true heroes," he said.