Military Veterans

Keith Harwick served as a Metalsmith 1st Class on board the destroyer, USS Farenholt, during World War II.

 Farenholt received 11 battle stars for World War II service.

Included in her battles: Farenholt took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal 7 August, the first American land offensive of the war. When her force was attacked by two Japanese submarines 15 September, she rescued 143 survivors of torpedoed Wasp, including the task force commander and the commanding officer of the carrier.

Other missions:  Intercept and destroy Japanese shipping and to prevent the reinforcement of Guadalcanal by the nightly Tokyo Express runs into the island, escort and guard missions, liberation of the Philippines.

Heavily hit in the Battle of Cape Esperance, numerous attacks by torpedo bombers, driving off bomber attacks, struck by a torpedo which fortunately failed to explode. Her crew saved the ship from sinking on numerous occasions.

Farenholt served as station ship at Ulithi and Kossol Passage and escorted convoys between those points and to ocean rendezvous until 5 May 1945. Three days later she reached Okinawa, and for the next month carried out the usual varied destroyer duties around the embattled island, screening and escorting shipping of all kinds, rescuing downed pilots and survivors of damaged and sunken ships, bombarding shore targets, and operating with carriers as they launched air strikes on Japanese positions and bases, especially those in the Sakishima Gunto from which kamikazes were flown.

On 28 July, Farenholt returned to Okinawa for screening duties until 22 September, when she sailed with an Army general aboard to accept the Japanese surrender of islands in the southern Ryukyus and in the Sakishima Gunto. 

Metalsmith 1st Class

World War II—28 January 1942 - 15 September 1945

USS Farenholt, Destroyer