Earl E. Edminister
Earl was born in Eureka on April 14th, 1926, the son of Paul & Gertrude. He went to school in Omro.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943. He went to San Diego for Sonar School, and became a Soundman Third Class. He was later assigned to the U.S.S. Johnston, DD 557.
The U.S.S. Johnston was active in the Pacific during 1944, participating in the Marshalls, Marianas, Paulaus and Leyte Campaigns. On May 15th, while operating in the Solomons Islands, the U.S.S. Johnston assisted in sinking the Japanese Submarine
I-176.
On October 25, 1944, while serving with an escort carrier task force in support of the Leyte Campaign, Johnston and a few other destroyers and destroyer escorts valiantly attacked an overwhelmingly strong Japanese battleship and cruiser force during the Battle off Samar. The U.S.S. Johnston was lost at sea with most of her crew. Earl was lost at sea on this date and listed as MIA for one year before his mother was notified that he was dead. Earl has 2 brothers, Harold and Phil, and a sister, Phyllis Oatman, who lives in Berlin.
