Lloyd Edgar Acree was a member of the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 and a posthumous awardee of the Navy Cross

Navy Cross

The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...

.

Navy career

Acree was born on July 31, 1920 in Beggs, Oklahoma. He enlisted in the Navy October 17, 1940. After training at San Diego, California

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

, he was assigned to USS Salt Lake City (CA-25)

USS Salt Lake City (CA-25)

USS Salt Lake City of the United States Navy was a Pensacola-class heavy cruiser sometimes known as "Swayback Maru". She had the distinction of having taken part in more engagements than any other ship in the fleet...

 December 10, 1940, and became aviation ordnanceman

Aviation Ordnanceman

Aviation Ordnanceman is a United States Navy occupational rating.-Overview:Aviation Ordnancemen operate and handle aviation ordnance equipment. They are responsible for the maintenance of guns, bombs, torpedoes, rockets, and missiles. Their duties include the stowing, issuing, and loading of...

 third class August 1. During the grim months after Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...

, Salt Lake City, against desperate odds, helped stem the tide of Japanese

Empire of Japan

The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...

 expansion, Following the American Invasion of Guadalcanal

Guadalcanal campaign

The Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between August 7, 1942 and February 9, 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre of World War II...

 August 7, 1942, Acree participated in the grim struggle for control of the Solomons.

Awarded the Navy Cross

During the night of 11 to October 12, 1942, an American cruiser

Cruiser

A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...

-destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

 force under Rear Adm. Norman Scott intercepted a cruiser-destroyer bombardment group off Cape Esperance

Cape Esperance

Cape Esperance is the northernmost point on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. The Battle of Cape Esperance, one of several naval engagements fought in the waters north of the island during the World War II Guadalcanal campaign, took its name from this point...

 and repulsed the enemy after a furious night battle. Early in the action an enemy shell burst close aboard to starboard and sprayed the cruiser with shell fragments. Acree, who was holding a 5-inch shell loading into No. 3 gun, fell to the deck, seriously wounded in the abdomen

Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...

. Although in intense pain, he gallantly clung to the shell to prevent its explosion. He died a short time later while undergoing emergency surgery. For his great courage and outstanding devotion to duty, Acree was awarded the Navy Cross

Navy Cross

The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...

 posthumously.

Namesake

USS Lloyd E. Acree (DE-356)

USS Lloyd E. Acree (DE-356)

USS Lloyd E. Acree was a acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket....

 was named in his honor. She was laid down by Consolidated Steel Corp., Orange, Texas

Orange, Texas

Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...

, January 24, 1944; launched March 21, 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Ora A. Acree; and commissioned August 1, 1944, Lt. Comdr. John E. Greenbacker in command.