WWII HERO GONE
PALMER, Russell Blair, 95 of Seminole, FL, formerly of Newton and Cape Cod, MA., died July 16th, 2018 at the VA Hospice Unit in Bay Pines, FL.
In WWII Russ was on the destroyer USS Meredith DD434 when it was sunk by Japanese planes off the coast of Guadalcanal, Oct. 15th, 1942. Of the 248 men on board only 63 survived the 4 days in the shark infested waters by hanging onto life rafts. He was picked up by the USS Grayson DD435. He was 19 years old at the time and had been in the Navy for almost 2 years. He was the only survivor of the torpedo gang, except for the Torpedo officer. He was awarded the Purple Heart. While in the Navy Russ served as torpedo man and salvage driver.
Passing before him was his wife Marie (O’Connell). He will be missed bu his children Russell Palmer, Jr., and Donna Brezinski and her husband Bruce; his grandchildren Michael Brezinski and Carolyn Hamilton with her husband Scott; his great grandchildren Jacob and Maxine Hamilton.
Russ will be interred at the Bay Pines National Cemetery next to his beloved wife Marie on Friday, July 27th at 9:00 am
Russell and Donna. I’m so sorry to hear about your Dad. Loved them both so much. We were very lucky that are parents had such a great “gang”. Sm many wonderful memories.
So sorry to hear this news. Russell was my great uncle. I only had the opportunity to visit with him a couple times a few years ago. He was a delight!