(ROCKWALL, TX – Feb. 9, 2016) The Rockwall Breakfast Rotary Club was pleased to have Taylor McClure speak at their January 26 meeting. Taylor is a longtime Rockwall resident and a World War II veteran. He served in the United States Navy as an Aviation Radioman/Gunner aboard a Catalina PBY aircraft.
Taylor was in technical school in Memphis where he had courses in airborne radio, radar, sonar, semaphore, and Morse Code. The next step was aerial gunnery school inFlorida. One unique facet of training was for the sailor to board a small railroad car that was equipped with 12-gauge shotguns that were mounted in gun turrets. Traveling through sand dunes, clay pigeons were released at random and the operator would shoot as if he were actually airborne.
The PBY squadron that Taylor was assigned to had the responsibility of seeking out German submarines across the Straights of Gibraltar. They would fly 50’ off the water’s surface and when an enemy submarine was detected, it would be Taylor’s duty to start the process of locating it and engaging.
These brave men that flew these missions kept the critical shipping lanes open for the Allies and helped win the war over tyranny. Thank you, Taylor, for your service to our great country.
Submitted by John Adams, Rockwall Breakfast Rotary.
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