Engine Man Senior Chief Petty Officer           Gerald L. Meester

Brick location number

H-4-7

Branch of Service

Navy (including Merchant Marines who served in WWII)

Dates of service

June 1973 to June 1993

Location(s) of service and/or conflicts

San Diego and Long Beach, end of Viet Nam War, Desert Shield/Desert Storm

Medals earned

Kuwait Freedom Medal; Navy Acheivement Medal; Battle"E" Humanitarian Medal

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Reflections on this veteran's military service

Submitted by Lisa Meester

Gerald was a 20-year career veteran in the U.S.Navy. He served onboard the Famed Battleship USS Missouri BB-63 during the Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm conflict and delivered over a million pounds of ordinance on enemy targets including the first use of tomahawk cruise missiles. The ship was attacked by a Chinese-made silkworm missile and prior to hitting the Missouri the HMS Gloucester shot the missile out of the sky with two sea dart missiles.

Gerald was very lucky to have his father, father-in-law and brother-in-law ride the USS Missouri from Hawaii to Long Beach on their return from the conflict. 

His list of duty stations included:
Basic Training San Diego 
A-School Great Lakes, IL
USS Bronstein FF-1037
Sima San Diego
USS Gray FF-1054
USS Obrien DD-975
Navy Recruiting Los Angeles
USS Fletcher DD-992
USS Missouri BB-63
USS Bolster ARS-38

Gerald lives in Lakewood and works for the City of Lakewood as a Crossing Guard, Gerald's grandparents lived in Lakewood and his brother is a Lakewood resident.

(Posted 2016)