Coming home: The Commissioning Bell of the USS Chilton, shown here aboard the ship, will be presented to the people of the county at a Memorial Day ceremony May 26 in Jemison. (Contributed photo)

By Billy Singleton | Special to the Advertiser

On May 26, the Jemison Lions Club and the City of Jemison will host a Memorial Day observance May 26 at the Jemison Municipal Complex.

The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. with morning show personality “Dollar” Bill Lawson of 102.5 “The Bull” in Birmingham serving as master of ceremonies.

Command Sergeant Major Rex A. Ray, United States Army (Ret.), will deliver the Memorial Day Observance message.

During his 32 years of military service, Ray completed four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ray and his wife Carolyn reside in Verbena.

A special part of the program will be the presentation of the Commissioning Bell of the USS Chilton to the people of Chilton County.

The Commissioning Bell is being dedicated in honor of those members of the nation’s armed forces from Chilton County who gave their lives in service to the United States of America and their fellow citizens during World War I and World War II, Korea, Southeast Asia, Lebanon and Iraq.

Following the ceremony, the Commissioning Bell will be placed on permanent display at the Chilton County Courthouse.

All Chilton County residents are welcome to attend this special event.

On Dec. 7, 1943, a Bayfield Class Attack-Transport ship was commissioned the USS Chilton (APA-38) in recognition of the efforts of the citizens of Chilton County to promote the sale of War Savings Bonds in support of the nation’s armed forces in Europe and Asia.

To commemorate commissioning of the vessel, a cast iron bell was installed under the forward 5-inch gun on the starboard side of the ship. Engraved “USS Chilton 1943”, the 230-pound bell stood as a testament to the strength and resolve of a county and its people during the ship’s three decades of service in defense of the United States of America.

The USS Chilton served as Flag Ship during the invasion of Okinawa during the World War II and survived the onslaught of Japanese Kamikaze attacks during the battle for the island, actions that earned the ship a Battle Star for meritorious service in the Pacific Theater of Operations.

During Thirteen Days in October 1962, the Chilton served as part of a flotilla of US Navy ships that “drew a line in the sea” to prevent Russian vessels from delivering tactical nuclear weapons to the island of Cuba.

During deployments to trouble spots around the world, the ship and crew served their country with honor and distinction. For the crew of the USS Chilton, “Any Time, Any Beach” was more than a motto; it was a way of life.

Although the story of the USS Chilton has now passed into history, the Commissioning Bell continues to serve as a symbol of the traits of the people for which the ship was named: patriotic and hardworking, with an unyielding dedication to their country and community.

After a remarkable journey of 73 years, the Commissioning Bell of the USS Chilton, the sole remaining artifact of this proud vessel, is coming home to the county and people that it will forever represent.