This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Eugene Claude Ipox, Jr., TM1
to remember
Blevins, William F, CPO USN(Ret).
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William F. Blevins, 91 of Whitman, formerly of Weymouth and South Boston died September 25 after a period of failing health. Born in Boston, he was the son of the late John H. and Beatrice M. (Raynard) Blevins. He attended Boston schools and served proudly during WWII in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Boston and was a retired Navy Chief Corpsman. William spent his career in sales for Sears in Quincy and Braintree. He was a Holland Club Award Recipient, a long time member of the Abington VFW and the McKeon Post in Dorchester, the Weymouth Elks, a member of the Castle Island Association, and a member of the Boston Sub Vet's Club. William was also a member in the Top 3 Retired Military. He was an avid bicycle rider, and enjoyed traveling especially to Hawaii and Ireland.
William was predeceased by his wife, Mary (Ronayne) Blevins and is survived by his daughters Kathleen McIver and her husband Paul of Pembroke and Mary Russo of Weymouth. He was also father of the late Janet Dickson. Grandfather of 6 grandchildren; Jeff, Bill, Stephanie, Max, Allison and Andrea and great grandfather of 8. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews and his friend Jane Murray of Whitman.
Visiting hours in the Sullivan Funeral Home, 2 Maquan St., at the corner of Rte 14 & 58 in Hanson on Sunday from 2-6PM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday at 10:00AM in St. Joseph the Worker Church, 1 Maquan St., Rte 14 in Hanson. Interment in Cedar Grove Cemetery in Dorchester. Donations in William's memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 311 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472 or The Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, Development Office, 50 Congress St., Ste 730, Boston, MA 02109.
Leyte Campaign (1944)/Battle of Leyte Gulf
From Month/Year
October / 1944
To Month/Year
October / 1944
Description The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the Battles for Leyte Gulf, and formerly known as the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.
It was fought in waters near the Philippine islands of Leyte, Samar and Luzon from 23–26 October 1944, between combined US and Australian forces and the Imperial Japanese Navy. On 20 October, United States troops invaded the island of Leyte as part of a strategy aimed at isolating Japan from the countries it had occupied in Southeast Asia, and in particular depriving its forces and industry of vital oil supplies. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) mobilized nearly all of its remaining major naval vessels in an attempt to defeat the Allied invasion, but was repulsed by the US Navy's 3rd and 7th Fleets. The IJN failed to achieve its objective, suffered very heavy losses, and never afterwards sailed to battle in comparable force. The majority of its surviving heavy ships, deprived of fuel, remained in their bases for the rest of the Pacific War.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf consisted of four separate engagements between the opposing forces: the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Cape Engaño and the Battle off Samar, as well as other actions.
It was the first battle in which Japanese aircraft carried out organized kamikaze attacks. By the time of the battle, Japan had fewer aircraft than the Allied forces had sea vessels, demonstrating the difference in power of the two sides at this point of the war.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
October / 1944
To Month/Year
October / 1944
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
People You Remember USS Boston (CA-69)
Memories She served with TF 38 during the Okinawa raid on 10 October, and the northern Luzon and Formosa raid on 11?14 October, as well as the Luzon raids on 15 October and 24?26 October, 13?14 November and 19?20 November, and 14?16 December. Boston also participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf on 24 October, as well as the Formosa raids in January, on 3?4, 9, 15, and 21 January 1945
