The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the February 2025 story of the month has been selected to recognize the service of United States Navy Veteran, EM1c Richard Dorton. The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is privileged to honor the service memories of EM1c Dorton thanks to HT2 Charles Atkins, USS Hector AR-7 Historian. The Following reflections of EM1c Richard Dorton’s service was written by HT2 Charles Atkins.

"Richard was born and raised in Keystone West Virginia. He was one of three boys and went to North Fork high school. After High School he entered Bliss Electrical trade school to learn about electrical wiring. After trade school he went to work for a power company nearby.

He liked to go to the movies in his spare time. He remembers actors like Pat O’Brian, Jimmy Cagney and Dick Powell. When he saw them doing navy movies, he told himself, if I was to go in, I would certainly go navy.

On August 31, 1942, at 22 years old, Richard did just that and enlisted in the navy. He went to boot camp at the Naval Training Center in Norfolk, Virginia. Right after boot camp, he made third class petty officer due to his prior electrical schooling and experience. He was shipped right to the fleet and caught a new destroyer, the USS Herndon DD-638, heading across the Atlantic doing convoy duty to Casablanca Morocco.

Upon returning from his first Eastern cruise in May 1943, Dorton was detached from Herndon to attend Interior Communications School at the Washington Naval Ship Yard. After his training there, he was made an Electricians Mate Second Class. He was then transferred to San Pedro to help finish the USS Hector AR-7 while still in the ship yard being built. He was there a month before commissioning. He helped with loading stores and ammunition. He participated in the commissioning ceremony and sailed with the ship on its maiden shakedown cruise off of Southern California.

Dorton was assigned to the 8th electrical repair division and within days the USS Hector was underway for Pearl Harbor. Hector got a coat of camouflage paint in Pearl and then left for Eniwetok to offer repair service to Pacific Fleet ships. His specific job was to repair interior communications lines and equipment such as an engine room telegraph and other related ships equipment.

Dorton’s General Quarters station was one of the 20 mm guns stationed on the upper deck. He was part of a gun crew of three men. They had an ex-marine who was familiar with the gun, so they let him shoot the weapon while he loaded it. The third member would assist in moving the gun mount to help with sighting the weapon. He said the only time they got to fire the gun was when they came back into Diamond Head at Pearl Harbor. There was a training airplane pulling a target. He said while they were shooting the gun, the plane dropped the target and left. Apparently, he was a bit nervous with Hector gunners.

Dorton spoke about his experiences assisting with the repair work on the USS Houston CL-81. He had to run communications wire through some very small compartments from the bridge to the after steering room. He remembers being in a small chute three decks up working with no safety net and worrying about how far the fall would be if he fell. He remembers getting ready to go to the ship to work and saw bodies lined up on the deck. They were decomposing and the sights and smells would remain with him for the rest of his life. He could not go to work until they were removed.

He also remembers Hector doing escort duty with a Jeep carrier, in the worst storm he’s ever been in. That Jeep carrier was tossed around so much they could count the jeeps that were tied down on the open deck.

He made first class petty officer while on the Hector. He was awarded 6 medals. And proudly remembers being given an Atlantic Service ribbon, Pacific Service ribbon, and the Good conduct medal.

When his time was up, he was transferred to Norfolk and mustered out January 9th, 1946 from camp Shelton. He went right to work with his old employer at the power company, got married and raised a family. He finally retired from the power company after 44 years. He used his GI bill benefits to do a couple of correspondence courses.

Richard is a member of the American Legion and the USS Hector Association.

Of Hector during his time, he says that Hector’s reputation in the fleet was when she was under way, “everyone got out of the way”! Hector was known to take out a few waterfront piers!”

The United States Navy Memorial honors United States Navy Veteran, EM1c Richard Dorton, featured within this series titled, Tales from the Navy Log, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at https://www.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service