Elson Cameron Daggett, Jr. Full Narrative

Elson Cameron Daggett, Jr. was born on July 16, 1920, in Portland, Oregon. He grew up in Gladstone, a suburb of Portland, and graduated from West Linn High School in 1938. Daggett attended Washington State College from 1938 to 1943, graduating in 1943 with a degree in Economics. During his time at WSC, he pledged to the Sigma Chi fraternity while also participating in the Chinook Business Staff and the Men's Group House Representatives. He also became a pledge advisor for Sigma Chi. Daggett truly shone in his collegiate baseball career, where he rose from a player fighting for a place on the roster to an integral part of the team and even WSC athletics as a whole. On the field, he earned the nickname "Sootin' Cam Daggett." During his senior year, Daggett was inducted into the Crimson Circle honor society on the basis of his campus activities. He was also elected the President of Sigma Chi and Vice-President of the Grey W Club. On April 19, 1943, he enlisted into the Army and was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for training. By October 1943, he earned his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the infantry. Daggett also became engaged to Mary Lou Ford. Attached to the 383rd Infantry Regiment of the 96th "Deadeye" Division, Daggett began training in the Hawaiian Islands from July to September 1944 in preparation for action in the Philippines. The Division landed in Leyte Gulf on October 20. While facing heavy Japanese resistance on the island, Daggett and the rest of the 96th battled stubborn defenses but overcame with grit and determination. For his service in the campaign, Daggett received a promotion to First Lieutenant on December 9, 1944, was given a Combat Infantryman's Badge for his participation in combat. For the next three months, the 96th mainly focused on light duties and training for the upcoming invasion of Okinawa. The 96th departed the Philippines for Okinawa on March 27. Elson Cameron Daggett was killed in action on April 8, 1945 near the village of Uchitumari on Okinawa. He in interred at the Lincoln Memorial Park in Portland, Oregon.