US Navy 1st Class Jack "Ding Ding" Gifford Ehlerding was born on March 26, 1923 in Polk County, Minnesota, the son of Julian Gifford Ehlerding (1898-1970) and Clara L. Wadkins (1893-1952). By 1930, the family had relocated to Pensacola and his father was supporting the family as a manager of a construction company. By the late 1930's he was working as a toll collector on the bay bridge and later at NAS.
Jack and his sister Billie both attended Pensacola High School where his sister would graduate in 1939 and Jack in 1940. He was a member of the track team in '38 and '39 before enlisting in the US Navy in January 1941. Before the war, he was an amateur radio operator under the call number of W4FRS. So, it was only natural for him to be selected for the Navy's radio school in Norfolk where he finished second in his class. He was assigned to duty on board the new battleship USS Washington as well as the WWI era battleships USS Arkansas, USS New York and USS Texas. From there he volunteered for submarine duty as a radioman on the USS Trout (SS-202).
On February 16, 1944, the Trout sailed on her 11th and last patrol. On February 29th, they intercepted a Japanese convoy bound for Saipan and Guam with reinforcements from the enemy's 29th Infantry Division. These enemy troops would be directly confronting Jack’s Pensacola High School classmates, such as Cary Ward and Vernon Eddins (Class of 1943). These hometown boys would be storming ashore on Guam in July. As the Trout stalked the convoy, they slowly edged their way into position to attack even though it was heavily guarded. When they reached a firing position, the Trout fired a spread of torpedoes that sunk the enemy troop transport Sakito Maru, killing 2,200 enemy soldiers of the 3,500 aboard from the 18th Regiment. They also damaged another large transport before falling victim to the enemy’s twenty depth charges. Jack and his comrades sunk slowly into the eternal darkness of the Pacific's bottom far below. He had done his duty and paid the supreme price for his patriotism!
In the meantime, the Trout was reported missing in action although everyone knew none of those boys were ever coming home. His family received the telegram but were told there would be no funeral. Today, there is a grave marker at Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida with a death date of January 12, 1946. However, this date does not represent the actual date of death but only the declaration of death. His name is also etched in the monument at Fort William McKinley, Manila, in the Philippines and is listed as missing.
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