Dedicated to my Father
Harold Robert Annis 1924-2006

There are many things that I remember about my father and the relationship that we had when I was a child growing up. Despite the fact that my parents were divorced when I was seven years old, there was never a lack of love in our household.
My father was Harold Robert Annis and he was born March 14, 1924 in an area a few miles south of Fenton, Michigan. This area is known locally as "Tyrone Hills", although there are not any hills of a truly respectable size there. Nevertheless my father, who enjoyed real Country music, would tell people that he was "born down south in the hills", that is south of Fenton in the Tyrone Hills.
Dad was the youngest of the four children of Ira Benton Annis and Alice(Runyan) Annis, and spent his childhood in the Fenton area. He was just a small boy when the Great Depression hit the nation, but he could recall the hard times and sacrifices that the family had to make in order to scratch out an honest living.
The family was led by an exceptional man. Although Ira, my Grandfather, died before I was born, many long time residents of the area would later relate tales to me of this remarkable man. They were stories of his wonderful sense of humor, his giving nature, and his ability to always reach out a big hand in friendship and help. These images of a man that I never knew warmed my childhood and teen years, and instilled in me a pride of my heritage that has never left me. In the 1940's, when my Dad was a young teen, Grandpa became ill with the condition that would ultimately take his life. Dad went to work and helped support the family. They had moved into the house that would eventually be the home that I spent my childhood years in, and Dad never faltered in his responsibility to his parents. At an age when most young men were dating and "sowing their wild oats", my father was concerned with caring for a family, and putting in a good days work. That's not to say that he didn't know how to have fun, but family responsibilities came first.

Grandfather's health continued to decline during the early part of World War II, but in 1943 our Nation called and my Dad became a member of the United States Naval Reserve. After basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center near Chicago, he was stationed on Long Island, New York. On March 26, 1944, at the age of 53, Ira Benton Annis passed away, and Dad came home on emergency leave to the sad task of mourning and burying the father that he loved and respected.

The following August Dad was assigned to, and shipped out on the U.S.S Eldorado.

The U.S.S. Eldorado was a newly commissioned ship, and it's service history up until the time of my Dad's Honorable Discharge, more or less tells the story of his duty aboard ship.

The Eldorado sailed from Norfolk on September 15, 1944 and arrived at San Diego on September 29th to embark Rear Admiral L.F. Reifsnider who broke his flag as Commander, Amphibious Group 4. In November Eldorado sailed to Pearl Harbor and there became flagship for Vice Admiral R.K. Turner, Commander, Amphibious Forces, Pacific.

After rehearsal landings in Hawaii, the command ship sailed January 27th 1945 for the Marianas and further preparations for the assault on Iwo Jima. She also carried General H.M.(Howling Mad) Smith, USMC, and his staff, and Secretary of the Navy J.V. Forrestal and his party when she sailed from Saipan February 16th for Iwo Jima. From February 19th to March 9th, Eldorado lay off Iwo Jima, her distinguished passengers directing operations ashore and afloat. She served as headquarters for war correspondents, and broadcasted directly from the beachhead to the people at home through her facilities. Through the critical period of this bloody and arduous operation, she carried out her duties as flag ship and operations center with effective thoroughness.

Arriving at Guam on March 12th, 1945, Eldorado embarked Lieutenant General S.B. Buckner, USA, Commanding General of the 10th Army. After rehearsals at Leyte in the Philippines, hove to off the Hagushi Beaches, Okinawa for the initial invasion landings on 1 April. Here she carried out with equal distinction the same type of duties she had performed at Iwo Jima. Since both the Commander, Air Support Control Unit, and the Force Fighter Director Officer was embarked, Eldorado's combat information center was the central unit in the air defense against the day and night air raids. General Buckner and his staff debarked April 18th to establish headquarters on the island itself, and until the ship's departure May 18th, she was visited by several distinguished guests, including Admirals Chester W. Nimitz, William F. Halsey, Jr,, and R.A. Spruance, and the noted war correspondent Ernie Pyle.

At the end of the war Eldorado was at Manila preparing for the proposed invasion of the Japanese home islands. She returned to Pearl Harbor in October where Admiral Turner and his staff debarked.