Cecil Guy Boggs,Sr.

BOGGS, SR., CECIL GUY, 97
LT CDR, USN (RET)

Dunnellon - LCDR Cecil G. Boggs, Sr., 97, of Dunnellon, husband of Shirley Randle Boggs and the late Jane Gulley Boggs, passed away at home on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at home under Hospice care. Born in Marion County, N. C., son of John Henry Boggs and Hester Eva Suttles, Cmdr Boggs was a member of the Letterman's Club at Newberry College in Newberry, S. C., a Plank Owner of the U. S. Navy Memorial, a Charter member of the WWII Museum and a lifetime member of the American Legion.
Surviving in addition to his wife, are Cecil G. Boggs, Jr. (Louise) of Cocoa, FL, Mrs. John P. Crovato,(Elizabeth H.), Dunnellon, Frank Henry Boggs (Regina) of Hagerstown, MD; six grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Cecil entered active Naval Service from Newberry College in December 1941. After flight training in Pensacola, FL, and advanced aircraft carrier training in Miami, FL, reported for duty as a Naval Aviation Cadet in May 1942. He served aboard the following ships: The USS Essex with Air Group 9 as a dive bomber pilot, The USS Mt. Olympus as Air Officer for the Commander of the Third Amphibious Force Pacific and the USS Coral Sea as the Naval Air Intelligence Officer. Among his duties aboard the Essex and the MT. Olympus he participated in the following engagements with the Japanese both on the surface and in the air Marcus Island, Wake Island, Rabaul, raid and battle on the Marshalls, raid on Kwajalein, Tarawa, Truk, Siapan, Leyte Gulf Amphibious Landing and the battle of Leyte Gulf, Linguayion Gulf and to Tokyo for the signing of the Japanese Surrender. He was a shipmate of Admiral Richard Byrd and a volunteer with him to inspect and report on the Atomic Bomb damage to Hiroshima-Nagasaki. He flew numerous combat missions and returned to his carrier after one of these missions with over 100 holes in his aircraft. It was beyond repair but he was given a new aircraft
upon his return to Pearl Harbor. Neither he nor his gunner suffered any injuries. He continued his Federal Service with the Office of Naval Intelligence, Naval Investigative Service, as a Special Agent. In this capacity, he investigated security, criminal and subversive activities over an extended period of time and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. One assignment during this time was as the Special Agent personally in charge of President John F. Kennedy when he visited Cape Canaveral in November 1963. The President was there to board a ship and go into the Atlantic Ocean to observe a rocket being launched from a submarine, this was a few days before the President was assonated. He retired as a Supervising Special Agent In 1978. Memorial Contributions can be made to Kindred at Home-Hospice: 311 SE 17th Place, Ocala, FL 34471 or First United Methodist Church at 21501 W HWY 40, Dunnellon, FL 34431.