USS Essex (CV/CVA/CVS-9) was an aircraft carrier and the lead ship of the 24-ship Essex class built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in December 1942, Essex participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning the Presidential Unit Citation and 13 battle stars. Decommissioned shortly after the end of the war, she was modernized and recommissioned in the early 1950s as an attack carrier (CVA), eventually becoming an antisubmarine aircraft carrier (CVS). In her second career, she served mainly in the Atlantic, playing a role in the Cuban Missile Crisis. She also participated in the Korean War, earning four battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation. She was the primary recovery carrier for the Apollo 7 space mission.
She was decommissioned for the last time in 1969, and sold by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrap on 1 June 1973.
A graveside service will be held for McCoy Micky Choate, age 89, at 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 6 at Sunset Memorial Park. Mr. Choate was born in Lilbert, Texas on Jan. 17, 1922, and died in a local nursing care facility on October 30, 2011. After graduating from Cushing High School in 1941, Mr. Choate worked three years at the North American Aviation Plant in Grand Prairie, supervising a crew that made cockpits for the new P-51 fighters. After foregoing the opportunity to keep continuous draft deferments, Mr. Choate entered the U. S. Army in 1944. After receiving his basic training at Camp Fannin in Tyler, Mr. Choate served in the 35th Infantry Division in France and Germany. He was in continuous combat for 69 days and ultimately was wounded and captured on December 12, 1944, in a river crossing into Habkirchen, Germany. Private Choate suffered from untreated frostbite to both feet, 17 shrapnel wounds, and near starvation, losing more than 100 pounds before being liberated on April 14, 1945. He received five battle stars, a bronze medal, an infantry badge, good conduct medal, marksmanship medal, and Purple Heart. After returning to Nacogdoches after World War II, he met and married Priscilla Mercer, and they enjoyed 64 years together. Mr. Choate was a mail carrier 33 years with the U. S. Postal Service, and was a lifelong vegetable gardener and devoted neighbor to all who lived near him. He was a member of Fredonia Hill Baptist Church for 46 years.Mr. Choate was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Mary Choate, and his two sisters, Imogene Denson and Inelle Weaver. He was also preceded in death by his son, Larry Choate. He is survived by his son, Mark Choate and his wife, Lorinda, of Austin, Texas, and their three daughters, Kendall, Heather, and Laura. He is also survived by two grandsons, Robert Choate and his wife, Amy, of Frisco, Texas, and Scott Choate of Clovis, California, as well as six great-grandchildren. The family would like to extend a thank you to Hospice of East Texas and Lexington Place Nursing facility for the kindness they showed to Mr. Choate in his final days. The family also is deeply grateful for the devotion showed to Mr. Choate by three very important special friends, Pot Mercer, Jack Gardner, and Bob Melton. Visitation will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at Laird Funeral Home. Pastor Dock Lazarine will conduct the memorial service. To offer your condolences or to sign an online register book log on to www.lairdfh.net. Laird Funeral Home.
Published in The Daily Sentinel from Nov. 4 to Nov. 5, 2011.
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