Howard Frank Wright, Jr. was born in Detroit, MI on May 16, 1919. He joined the USMC, January 3, 1940, and attended basic training at Paris Island, SC and Quantico, VA. He graduated from Sea School in July, 1940 and was assigned to the USS Tuscaloosa July 12, 1940 to March 11, 1941. He was on board for the famous Roosevelt-Churchill fishing trip. Put the USS Washington (BB-56) in commission on May 15, 1941 and served in the 7th Division. His GQ stations, five-inch mount and the 1.1 inch mounts. He was onboard the USS Washington for the Murmansk Runs, through the Third Battle of Savo. After catching pneumonia, he was transferred to a hospital ship on March 11, 1943. On April 29, 1943 he was assigned to the 7th Division of the USS Indiana where he was a member of a 20mm gun crew. He was on board the USS Indiana when the collision occurred with the USS Washington (BB-56). He was transferred off the USS Indiana on April 01, 1944. Howard married Lillian T. Graessle at Camp Lejeune, NC on December 9, 1944 and then shipped out to the Panama Canal, Hawaiian Islands and Japan. Discharged November 19, 1945 as PFC.
Special military qualifications: anti-aircraft machine gun crewman, orderly, machine gun crewman. His weapons qualifications: rifle marksman, Browning machine gun first class.
He raised six children including Howard III (Associate President of the USS Washington BB-56 Reunion Association). Retired after 30 years as a city bus driver in Detroit, MI. Wright passed away March 30, 1989.
