F. 1/C. Virgil W. Charles, U.S.N. - Aledo, TX
N 32° 40.566 W 097° 35.412
14S E 632182 N 3616259
A cenotaph in the Charles Family plot in Aledo Cemetery honors Fireman 1st Class, Virgil W. Charles, who was lost on October 25, 1944, when his ship, the USS Johnston (DD-557) went down in the Battle off Samar in the Philippines.
Waymark Code: WMYCP4
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 05/30/2018
Views: 0
The Aledo Cemetery, also known as "Brown Cemetery" and "Aledo Brown Cemetery", was established in 1858, and it is located on FM 1187, southeast of Aledo, TX. There are nearly 1200 burials here. It is best to visit during daylight hours -- there are signs of vandalism here, and the odds are good that people are watching -- and while one can park along the cemetery road, there is plenty of room on the FM 1887 easement. There is a pedestrian gate very close to the Charles Family plot where the cenotaph is located.
The memorial is an upright, gray, granite headstone whose face is sloped. There is a flag of the United States in the upper left corner, and a Christian cross in the upper right. It reads:
In Memoriam
F.1/C Virgil W. Charles, U.S.N.
Mar. 15, 1912
Oct. 25, 1944
"He Gave All"
The Naval History Homepage (see website, below) provides a sound byte of information about fate of this Fireman 1st Class:
CHARLES, Virgil W, F1, 6178769, USNR, from Texas, USS Johnston, location Philippine Sea, missing, date of loss October 25, 1944 (pm) + CHARLES, Virgil W, Fireman First Class, 6178769, USN, from Texas, Oct-44, Manila American Cemetery (bm) + CHARLES, Virgil, F1c, USN, Johnston DD-557, October 25, 1944 (nm) + CHARLES, Virgil Wesley, Fireman 1c, USNR. Wife, Mrs. Louise Hill Charles, 1224 Colcord, Waco, Tex (na)
He is listed on the Walls of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.