James Leverte Elmore, Jr
1924-2012

Photo from Fighting Men of Arkansas

James Leverte Elmore, Jr. was born December 30, 1924 at Jerome, Drew Co., Ar. to James Leverte, Sr & Sally Edna Ellis Elmore. Jaanruar 26, 1947 he married Virginia May Gray at Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., Ar. where they both resided.

He enlisted in the US Navy in 1943 according to his biography below and served until February 7, 1946. His biography and the US Navy muster records tell more of the story of his service. He served on the USS Chincoteague, a Navy seaplane tender. More of her story is below. James served on her for his full service time.

James Leverte Elmore, Jr. passed away September 27, 2012 in Oklahoma. There is no burial site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elmore, James Leverte Jr., 87, interior designer, died Friday. Services pending.
Moore's Rosewood. (Tulsa World)

James LeVerte Elmore, Jr. passed peacefully September 27, 2012 surrounded by family. Born December 30, 1924 in Jerome, Arkansas to James Le-Verte Elmore, Sr. and Sally Ellis Elmore (Momo and Big Daddy).

A naval veteran of World War II and Korea, Jimmy was a talented interior designer and avid runner.

He is survived by his wife and six children, seventeen grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.

Preceded in death by his sister Fanelle and wife Virginia.

A memorial service will be held 11:00am Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at First United Methodist Church, 1115 South Boulder, in downtown Tulsa. Contributions in his honor may be made to the Tulsa Running Club. Under the direction of Moore's Rosewood.

Biography below from Fighting Men of Arkansas






The Story of the USS Chincoteague on which James served is below the muster records.



























USS Chincoteaque 1945


USS Chincoteague (AVP-24) was a United States Navy seaplane tender in commission from 1943 to 1946 that saw service in the Pacific during World War II.

New Guinea campaign
Chincoteague departed San Diego, California, on 13 June 1943 for Saboe Bay in the Santa Cruz Islands, where she arrived on 6 July 1943 to support the New Guinea campaign as tender for Fleet Air Wing 1 (FAW-1). On 16 July 1943 the Japanese launched eight air attacks at Saboe Bay, killing nine of Chincoteague's crew and damaging the ship badly with one direct bomb hit and two near misses. Taken in tow first by the seaplane tender USS Thornton (AVD-11) and then by the tug USS Sonoma (AT-12), Chincoteague reached Espiritu Santo on 21 July 1943 for emergency repairs, and later was towed to San Francisco, California, for a thorough overhaul.

Central and Southwest Pacific operations
After completion of repairs, Chincoteague put out from San Diego on 27 January 1944 for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and operations in support of the consolidation of the northern Solomon Islands, the occupation of the Marshall Islands, and air action in the Treasury Islands. She tended seaplanes at Kwajalein, at Eniwetok, in the Treasury Islands, and at Green Island. In addition, she carried freight, mail, and passengers among the Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Gilbert Islands, Mariana Islands, New Hebrides, and Phoenix Islands, and voyaged from Guadalcanal to Auckland, New Zealand, returning with aircraft engines. Escorting a convoy, Chincoteague sailed from Eniwetok on 24 September 1944 for Pearl Harbor and an overhaul. She returned to active operations on 6 December 1944 at Kossol Roads in the Palau Islands, where she conducted salvage and rescue operations for the next two months.

Iwo Jima campaign and operations at Ulithi Atoll
Chincoteague arrived at Guam on 13 February 1945 to join the assault force bound for Iwo Jima, and on 20 February 1945, arrived off the bitterly contested island to tend seaplanes until 8 March 1945. Similar operations at Ulithi Atoll followed until 8 June 1945, when she sailed for an overhaul on the United States West Coast, where she was when World War II ended with the cessation of hostilities with Japan on 15 August 1945.