Ensign Harold John "Elly" Ellison was born on January 17, 1917 in Buffalo, New York, the son of William Cuthbert and Mae E. Ellison. Harold received his college degree from the Pratt Institute School of Fine and Applied Arts and then went to work for an insurance agency in upper New York. He was described as handsome, slender and a little fidgety. Bored with insurance work, he enlisted in the US Navy in March 1941 as a Seaman 2nd Class at the Naval Reserve Aviation Base in Brooklyn. He was immediately transferred to NAS Pensacola that same month. In April he received a discharge from the enlisted ranks to take a position as an aviation cadet in the Navy’s flight program. He received his wings and a commission to the rank of Ensign in October 1941.
While stationed in Pensacola he had met Miss Audrey Faye Dannelly, daughter of Clarence E. and Mattie L. Dannelly of Pensacola. Her father was the assistant manager of the Delchamps grocery store while living in the family home at 1701 East Lloyd Street. Upon receiving his aviation wings the young couple were married on December 30, 1941 in Norfolk, Virginia. His marriage was quickly followed by his transfer to the VT-8 Squadron aboard the USS Hornet. As with his comrades on June 4, 1942, his squadron was the only flight to locate and attack the entire Japanese fleet with no fighter support. All of them were shot down and all crewmen but one was killed. Their act of heroism created a situation where there were no enemy fighters to oppose the American dive bombers when they arrived. In short order, the boys of VT-8 that now lay at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, were quickly joined by the crews of four Japanese carriers.
Ensign Ellison would receive the Navy Cross and a Purple Heart for his bravery while sadly his wife received a telegram from the War Department. In his honor the Navy named the destroyer DD-864 USS Harold J. Ellison, which was launched by his widow Ms. Audrey F. Ellison on March 14, 1945. Standing next to her was Ensign George Gay Jr., the sole survivor of her husband’s squadron after the Battle of Midway. Gay had flown up from Miami, Florida where he was an instructor for the last sixteen months. On December 7, 2006, the ship was scrapped, the last Gearing Class Destroyer in the US Navy. Audrey would join her husband in death in El Paso, Texas. Click to see actual footage of these heroes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPbYilMzWpw
Ensign Harold John Ellison, KIA Battle of Midway
Sinking of the Japanese cruiser Mikumo below 6-6-1942
US Navy TBF Avenger Torpedo bombers
Ensign Harold John Ellison and his wife Audrey Faye Dannelly 1941
Ensign Ellison left and his gunner George A. Fields on
the right just before they took off on their death flight
Namesake - USS Harold J. Ellison, DD-864