William hedrick

Ensign William Clay Hedrick Jr

  • Branch: Navy
  • Hometown/City: Mount Sterling, KY
  • Date of Birth: 02-12-1918
  • Date of Death: 07-05-1943
  • Conflict: WWII
  • Unit: USS Strong DD-467
  • Port/Base:

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  • To honor Billy and his sacrifice, I created Project USS Strong DD467: www.projectuss-strongdd467.com.

    Tammi Hedrick Johnson, Great-niece
  • Billy Hedrick, class #8 Midshipman's School V-7 or the 90 day wonder program (see Navy Links & Research page for more info) at Northwestern University, Chicago. This photo was taken outside of Abbott Hall after graduation and receiving his commission papers at the end of October of 1942. He was 23 years old in this photograph. He was born in Mount Sterling, Montgomery County, Kentucky on February 12th, 1919. Billy was the 12th of 14 children. Three of those children died before age 14, and only a handful finished secondary school. Billy graduated from Mount Sterling City High School in 1936, and went to college on a full scholarship to Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, graduating with "high distinction" and honors in 1940. In March of 1942, he signed his enlistment papers in Louisville, KY. After training, he was assigned to the Pacific fleet headed for duty in South America. Once they reached the Panama Canal in early January of 1943, the captain got orders to proceed west through the canal and on to the south Pacific. He served aboard STRONG from December 17th, 1942 until she sunk on July 5th, 1943. He was 24 years old at his death.

    Tammi Hedrick Johnson, Great-niece
  • My great-uncle Billy. He was killed when his ship the USS Strong DD-467 was hit by a Japanese type 93 torpedo just after midnight July 5, 1943 in the Kula Gulf of the Solomon Islands.

    Tambrie Johnson, Great Neice