Service dates: April 1, 1944 – January 1, 1946
Age at enlistment: 21
Marital status: Married to Marjorie Slaughter February 28, 1944, who waited for him in Tyler, Texas.
Basic training: Farragut, Idaho
Deployed: San Francisco Port on a troop carrier to the South Pacific about May 15, 1944.
Assigned: Degaussing ship YDG-7, as a carpenter’s mate in recognition of his building skills. The ship was a small, wooden vessel used to demagnetize US metal ships against floating enemy mines.
Notable service: Nearing the Ulithi atoll, Angus stood night watch during high winds. He detected the island coastline in the darkness. This ship was far closer to land than anticipated. He alerted the engineer who alerted the captain and the ship was saved from destruction from offshore rocks.
Skills: Angus repeatedly repaired the ship’s hull suspended from the deck. He dived under US ships to be demagnetized as they neared a mined harbor and wrapped the metal hull with electric cables. Angus excelled at shooting floating enemy mines after the tether cables were cut.
Fun fact: On the ship YDG-7 Angus excelled in target shooting at flares. He also enjoyed practice shots on the large 50 mm guns. He never entered armed combat aboard the ship. This was according to a sacred promise he received that he would returned unharmed.
Fun fact: On the troop carrier, Angus surprised the commanding officer by saying, “I’m bored and I want something to do.” He received duty in the officer’s mess. Good food!
Fun fact: Angus won the trust of a fellow shipmate who brought cash aboard won by gambling. Angus was instrumental in getting the cash donated to the US war bond fund.
Near Guam, Agnus was told he was being transferred to a battleship from the YDG-7. The gangplank was lowered and he started up. The captain stopped him: “You’re not on the list.” The other names were read “Gerber, Gosbeck” stopping one short of “Green.” Later that day Angus watched that battleship sink in flames, there were seven survivors. A fullfillment of the promise he had received before enlisting!
Discharged: Naval Shipyard in San Francisco Bay. Angus rode the train to San Diego. Unable to book passage to Texas, he hitchhiked cross country, arriving unannounced in Tyler to his astonished wife.
We honor you, Angus Green.
