Benjamin was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. He served aboard the U.S.S. South Dakota. He fought in both the European and Asian theaters, Battle of Lahai, Battle of Santa Cruz, Battle of Guadalcanal, in the North Atlantic with the British Home Fleet during the invasion of Normandy, Battle of the Philippine Sea, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Tokyo Bay to witness the Japanese surrender.
For his service, he was awarded 13 Battle Stars, a Purple Heart, a Presidential Unit Citation, a Good Conduct Medal, an American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign and European Campaign medals, a WWII Victory Medal, Navy Occupation - Asia, Philippine Liberation and Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation.
Seaman First Class (S1/C) Blackson was assigned to the Battleship USS South Dakota BB57 on 17 February 1943 and served in the 2 Division. The USS South Dakota is the most decorated battleship of WWII, earning 13 Battle Stars and a Navy Unit Citation. She sailed 250,000 miles and crossed the equator 30 times and the Arctic Circle once. She is accredited with downing 64 Japanese planes, 9 shore bombardments, and unofficially sinking 3 enemy cruisers. She set a record during the Battle of Santa Cruz (1942), shooting down 23 planes in a single engagement. She and the USS Washington fought a slugging match with the Japanese battleship Kirishima during the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (1942). One of only two battleship vs. battleship engagements of the entire Pacific Theater. She was there for the Japanese surrender and led the fleet back to San Francisco.
For his service, he was awarded 13 Battle Stars, a Purple Heart, a Presidential Unit Citation, a Good Conduct Medal, an American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign and European Campaign medals, a WWII Victory Medal, Navy Occupation - Asia, Philippine Liberation and Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation.
Seaman First Class (S1/C) Blackson was assigned to the Battleship USS South Dakota BB57 on 17 February 1943 and served in the 2 Division. The USS South Dakota is the most decorated battleship of WWII, earning 13 Battle Stars and a Navy Unit Citation. She sailed 250,000 miles and crossed the equator 30 times and the Arctic Circle once. She is accredited with downing 64 Japanese planes, 9 shore bombardments, and unofficially sinking 3 enemy cruisers. She set a record during the Battle of Santa Cruz (1942), shooting down 23 planes in a single engagement. She and the USS Washington fought a slugging match with the Japanese battleship Kirishima during the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (1942). One of only two battleship vs. battleship engagements of the entire Pacific Theater. She was there for the Japanese surrender and led the fleet back to San Francisco.
Benjamin was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. He served aboard the U.S.S. South Dakota. He fought in both the European and Asian theaters, Battle of Lahai, Battle of Santa Cruz, Battle of Guadalcanal, in the North Atlantic with the British Home Fleet during the invasion of Normandy, Battle of the Philippine Sea, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Tokyo Bay to witness the Japanese surrender.
For his service, he was awarded 13 Battle Stars, a Purple Heart, a Presidential Unit Citation, a Good Conduct Medal, an American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign and European Campaign medals, a WWII Victory Medal, Navy Occupation - Asia, Philippine Liberation and Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation.
Seaman First Class (S1/C) Blackson was assigned to the Battleship USS South Dakota BB57 on 17 February 1943 and served in the 2 Division. The USS South Dakota is the most decorated battleship of WWII, earning 13 Battle Stars and a Navy Unit Citation. She sailed 250,000 miles and crossed the equator 30 times and the Arctic Circle once. She is accredited with downing 64 Japanese planes, 9 shore bombardments, and unofficially sinking 3 enemy cruisers. She set a record during the Battle of Santa Cruz (1942), shooting down 23 planes in a single engagement. She and the USS Washington fought a slugging match with the Japanese battleship Kirishima during the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (1942). One of only two battleship vs. battleship engagements of the entire Pacific Theater. She was there for the Japanese surrender and led the fleet back to San Francisco.
For his service, he was awarded 13 Battle Stars, a Purple Heart, a Presidential Unit Citation, a Good Conduct Medal, an American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign and European Campaign medals, a WWII Victory Medal, Navy Occupation - Asia, Philippine Liberation and Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation.
Seaman First Class (S1/C) Blackson was assigned to the Battleship USS South Dakota BB57 on 17 February 1943 and served in the 2 Division. The USS South Dakota is the most decorated battleship of WWII, earning 13 Battle Stars and a Navy Unit Citation. She sailed 250,000 miles and crossed the equator 30 times and the Arctic Circle once. She is accredited with downing 64 Japanese planes, 9 shore bombardments, and unofficially sinking 3 enemy cruisers. She set a record during the Battle of Santa Cruz (1942), shooting down 23 planes in a single engagement. She and the USS Washington fought a slugging match with the Japanese battleship Kirishima during the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (1942). One of only two battleship vs. battleship engagements of the entire Pacific Theater. She was there for the Japanese surrender and led the fleet back to San Francisco.
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