Arthur R. Dougherty
Rank: Electrician's Mate First Class, U.S. Navy
Serial: 06504858
Unit: USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)
Entered service from: New Jersey
Died:
Memorial: Tablets of the Missing, Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii
Awards: Purple Heart
Biography
Electrician's Mate Arthur R. Dougherty was married, and lived with his wife Dorothy M. Dougherty at 1030 Ironsides Road in the Fairview section of Camden NJ. He was reported as missing in action on May 11, 1945 in the Pacific, as reported in the July 8, 1945 edition of the Camden Courier-Post. That morning, the aircraft carrier Bunker Hill (CV-17), and destroyers Hugh W. Hadley (DD-774) and Evans (DD-552) were attacked and badly damaged by kamikaze aircraft off Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands. While supporting the Okinawa invasion, Bunker Hill was hit and severely damaged by two suicide planes. Gasoline fires flamed up and several explosions took place. The ship suffered the loss of 346 men killed, 43 missing, and 264 wounded. Although badly crippled, Bunker Hill managed to return to Bremerton via Pearl Harbor.