World War II—Eleven Abbeville Heroes

3. Preston Harrington

Like Dunice Hargrave, Preston Harrington, a member of the US Navy, was serving on board the USS Houston on March 1, 1942, when it was sunk during an enemy engagement with the Japanese off the coast of Java.

Preston was declared missing in action. It was not until the end of the war in 1945 that he and the others whose bodies were never found were declared killed in action on the day of the battle.

Preston was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edmar Harrington of Abbeville. We were unable to find any of Preston's relatives until C. Paul Bergeron, hearing of our search, informed us that Preston's younger brother Hubert Harrington had married Paul's wife's cousin Hilda, and he believed them to be living in Texas. Using that information, Gary Theall's talented legal assistant Phyllis Dartez was able in a matter of minutes to locate Hilda Harrington in Odessa, Texas, who informed us that her husband had died in 2001, but confirmed that he was the brother of Preston Harrington, and that she had a picture of Preston. She kindly let her daughter Della Wallender email us the copy that you see above.

Next: Earl B. Lattier

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