Robert Conway George was born in Athens, Mercer, West Virginia, the son of Charles Thomas George and Lillie Cordelia Conway.
RAD3c Robert C. George US Naval Reserve was shipped aboard the USS Johnston DD-557. On the 25th of October 1944, the Johnston was screening Taffy Three, a group of escort carriers supporting the landing at the island of Leyte in the Philippines. The previous night, the Japanese had been defeated at the battle of Surigao Strait. Now the Japanese Central Forces had appeared and were attacking. The Johnston led the attack against the Japanese force of 12 Destroyers, 7 Cruisers, and 4 Battleships. Making smoke and rapidly firing its guns and torpedos, the Johnston fought, receiving repeated hits from Japanese shells until she rolled over and sank at 10h10 along with two other destroyers. The Japanese retired from the battle. Of the crew of 327, only 141 were saved.
The captain of the Johnston, Commander Ernest E. Evans, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Taffy Three was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.
Awards include Purple Heart, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Phillippines Liberation Medal.
He is remembered on the Tablets of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Philippines.
The Greeneville Sun, 20 November 1944:
Robert Conway George, Radar (third class) U.S. Navy, has been reported as missing in action since October , when the U.S.S. Johnston went down in the battle of the Philippines. He took his boot training at San Diego, California, and from there left for the Pacific theater of war. He has been in the service sixteen months. Mrs. George has three other sons in the service. They include Pfc. James A. George, who is in France, P.M. George, Motor Machinist Mate (First Class) who is on his way home from overseas duty and Chief Petty Officer David W. George. One son, Charles T. George is at home.
In family gatherings it was always said that Robert ‘Bob’ George was the brightest and best of the brothers. I’ve seen his purple heart which was held by his sister Virginia. There are no surviving family members. My father died in 1979. I have a son, Philip, who turned forty this year and is the sole male carrying the George family name. Happy I found this site. I’m 77 this year and living in Sweden. I, like Robert Conway, also served in the Navy. Vietnam era veteran then US diplomat for twenty years.
–Submitted by Robert George
Picture from the 1941 Chuckey-Doak High School Yearbook
- Rank: Radarman Third Class
- Date of birth: 2 September 1924
- Date of death: 25 October 1944
- County: Greene
- Hometown: Greeneville
- Service Branch: Navy
- Division/Assignment: USS Johnston (DD-557)
- Theater: Pacific
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Purple Heart, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Phillippines Liberation Medal
- Burial/Memorial Location: Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines
- Location In Memorial: Pillar IX, Middle Panel
- Sponsored by: Robert George, his nephew
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