Supporters Like You

Honoring Legacy, Service, and Family

Being prompt, always early or at least on time, is a habit I try to maintain, one I hope others might adopt as well. It’s just one example of the discipline I witnessed and learned from my family.

Remembering “The Godfather” of Military Service

During his military career, my dad earned the nickname “Godfather” for his guidance and fairness, a sign of respect that lasted well after he retired. Whether working alongside Marines at Cherry Point in North Carolina, being called “Expeditionary” by officers, or setting up the EDI catapult for the first combat launch in Vietnam, his contributions shaped military operations and camaraderie across the globe.

From supporting missions in the Falkland Islands, to cementing the Harrier pad at President Bush’s Kennebunkport home, to assignments in Norway, Okinawa, and even the Berlin Airlift; my dad’s expertise and generosity touched countless lives. On the USS Kitty Hawk, he endured the risks of carrier deck duty, a true lesson in teamwork under pressure.

As a family, we traveled often, living abroad and touring Europe. Dad’s military service gave us incredible experiences, and memories, from England to Hawaii, California to North Carolina. Whether teaching me to drive or sharing a laugh over birthday cake on the ship, these moments made me feel special, always learning from his strength and kindness.

Pride, Sacrifice, and Community

My father devoted 50 years to the Navy and our country, earning the honor and respect of all who served alongside him. At the time of his retirement, he was the first to reach such an incredible milestone. He was a dedicated family man, caring for my mother and two daughters while giving us the world, literally, with the travels and adventures of military life.

Despite his decades at sea, my dad never learned to swim, even surviving the sinking of the USS Wasp in 1942 by clutching a rope until rescue boats arrived. Our time in Hawaii was bittersweet, with island adventures and heartfelt goodbyes. From living in Quonset huts to walking the decks of mighty carriers, each chapter highlighted the sense of unity and purpose in military families.

As I reflect on these stories, I’m grateful for my parents’ love of travel, resilient spirit, and the examples they set for me and my sister. Every move, mission, and memory has shaped who I am and strengthened my support for the USO and our service community.

I support the USO because of these lifelong lessons and my gratitude for all who serve. I’m proud to be John Price’s daughter as his memory inspires me every day. This is why I nearly tripled my monthly contribution last year and encourage others to do the same. You will not miss the money, but they will certainly miss out on having their ‘home away from home’ especially on ships, and wherever else their orders carry them.

Earnest William King (1920–2011) was born on a farm in Blackridge, Virginia, where he grew up during the Great Depression as one of eight children. He was inducted into the U.S Army on Nov. 24, 1942, during World War II. After basic training in Camp Adair, Oregon, he served with Company K, 414th Infantry, 104th Division in the European Theater in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, where he was severely wounded on November 17, 1944. He was honorably discharged from military service on Oct. 10, 1945.

He was a highly decorated veteran of World War II, having received the Combat Infantry Badge, the Good Conduct Medal, the European Theater Service Medal, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the Silver Star for gallantry in action and courage, bravery, and supreme devotion to his comrades under fire. He personally paid an enormous price for our freedom and struggled with recovery throughout his lifetime, yet felt it was his duty to serve. He never regarded his medals and awards as anything special or mentionable, and they were even unknown to his children until much later in life when they became adults.

After his service in World War II, Mr. King returned to Virginia to begin life with his wife, Mary, whom he had married in 1944 before being shipped overseas to serve in the European Theater. He began work as a supervisor for a furniture-making company and became the father of four children in four years. His life seemed to be going in the right direction, yet he was haunted day and night by an extremely important promise he had made several years before but had failed to keep. When he was wounded in 1944 and lay dying for two days on the battlefield, he had promised God if He let him live, he would spend the rest of his life serving Him and helping his fellow man. To keep that promise, he enrolled in a seminary institution in 1954 and became an ordained minister in 1958.

From that time on, in addition to being a soldier for his country, Mr. King became a soldier for God. His abiding faith in God sustained him, and he carried a message of faith and hope to others wherever he went. He had an uncommon compassion for people and touched thousands of lives with his love, concern, and support in the many churches where he pastored for over 53 years up and down the East Coast. When he retired from the ministry, he continued to be a source of inspiration and a Christian example to all those who had the privilege to know him. Many have said he was the most honorable man they ever knew.

For thirty-some years, Mr. King was a member of a combat support group for veterans at McGuire Veterans Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, and eagerly looked forward to meeting with his “Band of Brothers” at every scheduled opportunity. He provided wisdom, encouragement, and support, and all of them displayed genuine love, respect, and appreciation for each other. Mr. King always considered his association and camaraderie with this group of combat veterans to be the greatest honor of his lifetime.

Life was precious to Mr. King. He loved simple things and was captivated by the wonders of the world around him: a conversation with someone he had never met before, a good sermon, good music, all things baseball, a flourishing vegetable garden, beautiful flowers, trees, birds, animals, and even clouds. His friends and family are certain he never forgot a single thing that ever happened to him in his life. He continually amazed them with the countless stories of his life and the exact details of every situation he was describing, which made them feel as though they were there.

Mr. King was also a dedicated father and family man. He had four children, four grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and was devoted to his wife for sixty-seven years. His greatest joy came when his family gathered around him, and he delighted in telling others, when he had an opportunity, how proud he was of them.

To his family, Mr. King was truly a soldier for God and country: a humble, moral, genuine, honest, compassionate, righteous, honorable, and extraordinary man who certainly left the world a much better place. Without question, he was a hero to many.

Ms. Lyndia R. King gifts this bequest to the USO as a lasting tribute in memory of her father, Earnest William King, to honor and celebrate his extraordinary life. Ms. King hopes that this soldier’s story will give inspiration to those men and women who defend our country and our freedoms, and that this gift will express hers and her father’s heartfelt gratitude for their service and sacrifices that will never be forgotten.