One of the last MS Coast WWII veterans honored for birthday, Iwo Jima anniversary
As the 80th anniversary of the end of Iwo Jima — the infamous World War II battle against the Japanese Army — approaches on March 26, one of the battle’s veterans is reaching his own milestone.
On Saturday, crew members of the USS Bougainville and others gathered on Singing River Island just across the water from Ingalls Shipbuilding to honor Alfred Lewis, of Moss Point, one of the last living World War II veterans on the Mississippi Coast.
Lewis turns 98 years old on Tuesday, March 25, and the crew of the Bougainville — one of the ships currently being built at Ingalls — helped him celebrate a little early with a birthday cake and a ceremony.
“Our family feels very blessed to have had him around so long and for him to still be active,” said Rhonda Parker, Lewis’ daughter.
The ceremony was arranged by Douglas Barton of the Civil Air Patrol alongside the crew of the USS Bougainville, a ship under construction that could be seen during the ceremony and is named after a series of battles, also in the South Pacific.
“Your presence here today is a powerful reminder of the human cost of war and the enduring strength of the American spirit, a spirit that continues to build and protect our nation here and in Pascagoula,” said Cmdr. Ryan McGoldrick, who led the ceremony for Lewis on Saturday. “Thank you for your service. Thank you for your contributions to our community and to Ingalls and thank you for keeping the memory of Iwo Jima alive.”
When asked what it meant to be honored by the crew, Lewis said, “It means everything. I love it.”
A life of service
Lewis was born on March 25, 1927, in Beaufort, North Carolina, and enlisted in the Navy around 1944 or 1945 at age 17.
According to his daughter, Parker, when Lewis was growing up he could see the ships off in the distance for the war, and he wanted to be a part of that. Parker says that Lewis was not old enough to join the war effort at the time, so his father had to sign for him to join the Navy.
Shortly after joining the Navy, Lewis was sent to the island of Iwo Jima. Lewis arrived after the initial landings by U.S. forces in February 1945 and was tasked with helping clear enemy combatants from the island’s network of caves.
“He witnessed the resilience of his fellow servicemen and the tangible cost of freedom,” McGoldrick said.
After the war ended, Lewis went to work at Ingalls as a tacker and a welder, working for many years on ships for the military. During the ceremony, McGoldrick said that Lewis had worked overtime for many years to save up for a convertible for his daughter.
“He’s been an inspiration throughout me and my brother’s lives,” Parker said. “Going to church faithfully and working at Ingalls so he could continue his patriotism to his country and provide for us.”
This story was originally published March 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
