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U.S. Navy WWII
Gaffney Ledger Obituary
Jasper Lee Laughlin Jr., 82, of Gaffney, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, March 28, 2006, at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.
Born in Gaffney, Jasper, at age 17, joined the armed forces to serve his country during World War II. His honorable military career, in the United States Navy and later in the U.S. Merchant Marines, lasted five decades. During his distinguished career, Jasper served on 54 ships and was involved in each American conflict from WWII up to Operation Desert Storm.
During WWII, he served in both the European and Pacific theaters....
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U.S. Navy WWII
Gaffney Ledger Obituary
Jasper Lee Laughlin Jr., 82, of Gaffney, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, March 28, 2006, at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.
Born in Gaffney, Jasper, at age 17, joined the armed forces to serve his country during World War II. His honorable military career, in the United States Navy and later in the U.S. Merchant Marines, lasted five decades. During his distinguished career, Jasper served on 54 ships and was involved in each American conflict from WWII up to Operation Desert Storm.
During WWII, he served in both the European and Pacific theaters. In the Pacific Theater, he was instrumental in taking down Japanese warplanes during that country's massive use of kamikaze bombers against the United States military. From his ship, he witnessed the flag raising at Iwo Jima, the first place an invader's flag ever flew over Japanese home territory. In the European Theater, he was a a member of the Naval Armed Guard assigned to a destroyer performing convoy duty to Murmansk, Northern Russia. During these missions, the Naval Historical Center reports that there "were more hazards in the trips to Murmansk than in any other kind of Naval duty, when about one of every three ships was lost." In 1991 Jasper was awarded a commemorative medal from the Russian Republic for his heroism during this action.
Mr. Laughlin was member of Cherokee Avenue Baptist Church and also a member of the VFW.
Jasper was the son of the late Jasper L. Laughlin Sr. and Lorene Wilson Laughlin. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Pauline F. Thomas and Wilma L. Self.
Surviving are two sisters and their spouses, Anne L. Hull and Marcus A. Hull of Chester and Barbara J. Sansbury and Ferrel Sansbury of Santee; a brother, James F. Laughlin of California; numerous nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives, dedicated neighbors and friends; Edward and Doris Turner; and friend Elsie Johnson.
Services will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at Blakely Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. James Brown. The family will receive friends during a viewing one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow in Oakland Cemetery.
Remembrances may be made in Mr. Laughlin's memory to Cherokee County Meals on Wheels, P.O. Box 1886, Gaffney, S.C. 29342.
The family will gather at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ron Reda, 704-1/2 Thompson St., after the graveside service.
Arrangements by Blakely Funeral Home. |
