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Remember...Lloyd Bryan Paugh
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Lloyd Bryan Paugh was born in Lost Creek, West Virginia, on October 2, 1925, to Jennings Bryan Paugh and Marie Eva (Davis) Paugh. He was one of five children, with sisters Leona Jean, Frances Patricia, and Ellen Lorraine and a brother Owen Levi.
Prior to entering the service, Lloyd attended Roosevelt-Wilson High School, where he completed the 10th grade. He also worked for Wilson Bakery at Clarksburg.
He enlisted in the Naval Reserve on December 18, 1943, and reported to the U.S. Naval Training Station at Great Lakes, Illinois, ten days later. After completing initial training, on March 16, 1944, Lloyd reported to the naval training school at Auburn, Alabama, for training as a radioman. He completed the course on July 31, 1944.
On August 9th, Lloyd was assigned to the amphibious training base at Little Creek, Virginia. After spending two months there, during which time he was promoted to Radioman 3rd Class, he was transferred to another amphibious training base, at Solomons, Maryland, on October 6, 1944. He was assigned to his first ship, USS LCS (L) (3) 116 on October 13th. After crew training and sea trials, the ship departed Maryland, arriving in the Pacific Theater in time for the invasion of Okinawa.
| On April 16, 1945, while assigned to Radar Picket 1, north of the Island of Okinawa, the USS Laffey, LCS-116, and LCS-51 came under Kamikaze attack. During the assault LCS-116 was struck in the aft gun mount by a Japanese aircraft and received extensive topside damage from the aircraft and ensuing fires. |  Lt. Wierzbicki letter to Jennings Paugh, National Archives |
 Lloyd Paugh death certificate, National Archives | Lloyd suffered severe burns over most of his body. He was transferred to the USS Preston but died of his wounds the same day and was buried at sea. He was one of 17 men from LCS-116 to die from the attack, with an additional 12 wounded. Lloyd Bryan Paugh's name is listed on the tablet for the missing or buried at sea at the Honolulu Memorial, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. |
Information provided by Melvin Rowe
West Virginia Archives and History welcomes any additional information that can be provided about these veterans, including photographs, family names, letters and other relevant personal history.
