Mervin "Butch" L. Budrow

2023-09-02T12:45:46-05:00
Navy Badge
  • Name: Mervin "Butch" L. Budrow
  • Location of Birth:
  • Date of Birth: September 3, 1921
  • Date of Death: October 5, 1982 (61 years old)
  • Parents: John and Vitalina "Lena" (Ladoux) Budrow
  • High School and Class:
  • College:
  • Highest Rank: QM 2 (Quartermaster 2nd Class Petty Officer)
  • Branch: Navy
  • Other Branch:
  • Date Sworn In: August 4, 1942
  • Place Sworn In:
  • Date of Discharge: January 11, 1946
  • Place of Discharge:
  • Military Awards:

  • Military Highlights:
    Mervin served on the USS Rodman (DD-456). On January 1, 1945, the USS Rodman got underway for the Pacific. During the remainder of that month and into February, she conducted minesweeping and gunnery exercises off California and in Hawaiian waters, then sailed west. On March 12, 1945 she anchored at Ulithi and several days later sailed for the Ryukyus and her last amphibious operation, "Iceberg". On March 24-25 she participated in minesweeping operations off Kerama Retto, then prepared for the assault on Okinawa.

    After April 1 landings on the Hagushi beaches, she remained in the area and was caught in the air-surface action which enveloped the island on April 6. Assigned to picket duty early that day, she later shifted to screening duties and joined the USS Emmons in covering small minecraft sweeping the channel between Iheya Retto and Okinawa. In midafternoon a large flight of kamikazes flew over. Their leader dived out of the clouds and crashed into Rodman's port bow. His bomb exploded under her. Sixteen men were killed or missing, twenty were wounded, but Rodman's engineering plant remained intact. Emmons commenced circling Rodman to provide antiaircraft fire as other kamikazes closed in. Six were splashed. Marine Corps F4U Corsairs arrived, joined in, and scored on twenty, but not before others got through. Rodman was hit twice more during the 3 1/2 hour battle. Emmons splashed six more, but was hit by five and damaged by four near misses. Her hulk was sunk the next day.

    From April 7 to May 5, Rodman underwent temporary repairs at Kerama Retto, then started her journey back to the United States. Arriving at Charleston Navy Yard on June 19, her repairs were completed in mid-October, and on the 22nd she sailed for Casco Bay for refresher training.

    News article (name of newspaper and date of publication is missing):
    Helps Bring Damaged Ship to Port
    Marvin [Mervin] L. Budrow, 23, Quartermaster 3rd Class has been praised by his commanding officer for the part he took in action off Okinawa.
    Budrow was a member of the skeleton crew which brought his ship into port after she had been hit by the Japs.
    This young veteran has seen plenty of action during the war. He participated in the invasions of North Africa, Normandy and southern France before going into the Pacific.
    His parents live in Pengilly, Minnesota.

  • Wars Involved:
    World War II
    Korean Conflict

  • MIA / POW:

  • Civilian Life:
    Mervin L. Budrow, 61, Whittier, California, former Pengilly, Minnesota resident died on October 5, 1982.

    He is survived by his wife, the former Daisy Shipka, one daughter; two sons; five grandchildren; his mother, Lena Budrow of Marble, Minnesota; three brothers and four sisters.

    Mervin is buried in Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California (Plot 6 0 2063)

    Second picture - left to right: Bob Erickson, Butch Budrow, and Marvel Pelkey

  • Tribal Affiliation(s):

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