Irad Robert DeFriest

Boatswain Mate First Class Irad DeFriest sailed to Florida in October, 1941 as a seaman and after Pearl Harbor, left to return home to enlist in the US Coast Guard. After completing basic training at Ellis Island in January, 1942, Irad was assigned to patrol duty about the USCG 55015. He saw further service along the North Carolina coast on submarine and mine field patrol and aboard the cutter EM Warren Edwards on convoy duty between Norfolk and the West Indies. Irad was transferred to the USS Kirkpatrick, DE 318, serving on convoy duty between the US and North Africa, the Mediterranean, England and France until the fall of Germany. In the Pacific area, he served at Pearl Harbor, Sasebo, Subic Bay, Lizon, and San Fernando. His boat was the flagship which led the second invasion of Japan.

Irad was awarded the European African Middle Eastern Area Campaign Medal, the Asiatic pacific Area Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Victory Medal. He was discharged from Brooklyn in December, 1945.