James Conley Bryd hailed from Tennessee where he was born July 31, 1920. He died in Florida in April, 1984. He enlisted in the Navy, in Nashville, on October 10, 1940. James Byrd was first assigned to the USS New York, BB-34. His rank at that time was Able Seaman. He stayed on the New York until August, 1942 at which time he was a Coxswain. The New York did Atlantic convoy coverage in 1941 and 1942. Byrd reported to the commissioning crew of the USS Alabama, BB-60 on August 16, 1942. He was on the Alabama until until he transferred to the USS Nashville, CL-43, on March 1, 1945. At the rate of Chief Boatswain's Mate, he transferred to the USS Blackford, APD-45, about July, 1946, thence to the USS Monitor, LSV-5, October, 1946, then the USS Myrmidon, ARL-16, April, 1947, then the USS Portsmouth, CL-102 in August of 1947. His last Ancestry muster date is December 31, 1948.
This group consists of CBM Byrd's mounted medal group that consists of his named Good Conduct medal with 2 stars and named on the reverse, American Defense medal with Fleet Bar, European Campaign medal, Asiatic/Pacific Campaign medal with 5 battle stars, and WW2 Victory medal.
