David L. Dudley, 82

MILFORD - David L. Dudley, of Milford, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008, in Delaware Hospice Center Milford. He was 82. He was born on Oct. 1, 1926, in Gosher, Va. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Marydel and a former member of the Marydel Lions Club. He moved to Baltimore with his grandmother at the age 15. He was a boy scout and at the age 15 became an eagle scout. He went to Southern High School in Baltimore and then worked at American Hammered Piston Rings. In 1943, he went into the Navy and did his basic training at Bambride Naval Station. He went on to Fort Pierce, Fla., for amphibious landing craft training and then on to under water demolition training. He left Fort Pierce to Boston, commissioned LST 978. He then headed for Pearl Harbor. He was at Leyette Guhp when General McArther returned to invade the Philippines. He past through Guam, Saipan, Iwo, Oakwaniwa and took troops into Japan. The LST 978 came back to Oakland, Calif., and was put into moth balls. He re-enlisted and was a aviation branck for the Navy, trained at Barher's Point to be an air crewman on the USS Boxer CV21 as support to the troops in Korea. The USS Boxer had a hanger deck fire and was brought back to San Diego, Calif. He was transferred to the Patuxent Naval Air Station and later to Iceland with the VP 24 patrol squadron. He then went back to Patuxent then onto Rota, Spain and back home on the cruise ship Constitution. He preceded in death by his wife, Mary Jane Dudley; and his son, Mark Dudley. He is survived by son and his wife, David L. and Cher Dudley Jr of Addison, N.Y.; brother-in-law, Daniel Bohlen of Baltimore, Md.; sister-in -law and her husband, Elizabeth and Andrew Rusnak of Baltimore, Md; sister-in-law and her husband, Catherine and John Cituk of Baltimore, Md.; sister-in-law, Henrietta Bohlen of Baltimore, Md; grandchildren, Brandon, Shane, Mitchell, Cody, and Mark Dudley; great-grand children, Kayla and Brennan Dudley, nephew, Ralph Dudley; and many nieces, nephews, and friends. Remembrance services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at Trader Funeral Home in Dover. Burial will be in the Sharon Hill Memorial Park Dover. Friends may call Friday 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Letters of condolences may be sent to www.delmarvaobits.com or traderfh@aol.com.