KB6GJX 1940 Guam

George Ray Tweed (Silent Key, 1902-1989).

Tweed was the son of Rev. Ole O. and Julia Tweed. His father was born in Norway and came to the U.S. in 1880.

Tweed enlisted in the U.S. Navy on December 7, 1922. In 1940 a U.S. census enumerator found George R. Tweed, his wife and son living in Agana, Guam. Tweed was a U.S. Navy radioman. On October 17, 1941, Mrs. George R. Tweed and son departed Guam aboard the U.S.S. Henderson.

On December 8, 1941, the American garrison on Guam was attacked and defeated by Japanese forces. After the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, Japanese forces soon overran Guam Island in the Pacific. Tweed, then serving as a Navy radioman with several other U.S. personal slipped into the jungle rather than surrender. He became the only survivor after the others were captured and killed. He managed to elude Japanese soldiers for two years seven months, providing information to American forces that recaptured Guam Island in July 1944. His survival effort is considered one of the greatest feats in war history to date. For his contributions to the Pacific War victory, he was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal, Silver Star Medal and a Presidential Citation. He retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant. His story was told in the best selling 1945 book, ''Robinson Crusoe USN'' and in the Universal Studios 1962 movie, ''No Man is an Island,'' starring Jeffrey Hunter as George Tweed. Cause of death, an automobile accident in Northern California (bio courtesy of John "J-Cat" Griffith). Tweed was the author of the book Robinson Crusoe, U.S.N.: The Adventures of George R. Tweed, Rm1 on Japanese-Held Guam.

Eagle Point National Cemetery, Eagle Point, Oregon.

QSL from the estate of W6RXW, W6TC
Info courtesy of W5KNE