Howard Campbell

Lida with her son, Howard Campbell

Howard Campbell served on a destroyer and came home on leave, on his return trip to the destroyer he was late so it had already left the port. Somewhere at sea an enemy artillery ship hit the area of the destroyer where Howard served and all of his buddies were killed. Once he was able to catch up with the destroyer, he found out about the deaths of his comrades and it really bothered him after that. Howard was hurt later on during his service and received disability for the rest of his life.
Note: Frank Campbell, another brother, never served.

Manning Monitor article ------ 1943

Ship Hit By Jap Plane
In Friday's Des Moines Register appeared a picture of the U. S. S. Smith, the deck of which had just been hit by a falling Jap plane. The ship, although badly damaged continued in the battle.
Howard Campbell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Campbell is a deck gunner on this craft but was in the hospital with a hand infection at the time of the incident.

Returns From Active Duty
Gunner's Mate 3-c, Howard Campbell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd and Lida Campbell, is home on furlough from active duty in the Pacific.
Campbell was a member of the crew of the destroyer, Smith. He received a hand injury and was in the hospital at Pearl Harbor for 45 days, from Sept. 15 to Nov. 11. The Smith was torpedoed while Campbell was in the hospital and the greater share of the crew was lost. He took part in the battle of Midway and the Sicilian campaign.

Campbell entered the service on Oct. 7, 1941 and has not been home for nearly two years. August 22, he will return to New York where he is attached to the destroyer, McLanahan.
He and his wife left Wednesday afternoon to visit relatives in Sioux City.