William T. Lidy
William T. Lidy lived 5/24/1909 - 11/27/1991
On December 7 1941, the shadow of war was no longer a shadow. It was reality. The lives of millions of people were turned upside down including 79 people & their families from Spring Brook Township. William T. Lidy enrolled in the Navy at age 34. He had a wife Phoebe and two daughters, Jenny and Janet. He served in the Pacific theater on a newly commissioned ship that received three battle stars for war activity. My uncle Billy told me two war stories from his time in the South Pacific. His ship was involved in much activity there, most notable being part of invasion of Okinawa.
The day before troops were to land, the commanding officer brought the troops on deck. They were told to look at the person on their right and the person on their left and that they most likely saw someone that would not survive tomorrow. He also said that when the Kamikaze were coming, the only thing to be done was keep shooting and hope we hit them or they missed us.