eodaudiophile here…
So many of “us” lived in Okaloosa during our time at Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal (NAVSCOLEOD) on Eglin AFB Ranges.

The USS Okaloosa (APA-219) remained a Haskell-class attack transport ship named after Okaloosa County, Florida, that served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

You can review its detailed operational log via NavSource Naval History or check the official Naval History and Heritage Command records.

🔹️Service HistoryConstruction:
Laid down on August 8, 1944, and commissioned on November 28, 1944.

🔹️World War II:
Transported troops to Okinawa, Pearl Harbor, & the Philippines, earning one battle star.

🔹️Decommissioning:
Deactivated on April 15, 1949, & struck from the Navy List in 1958.

🔹️Legacy:
The ship’s bell remains preserved & displayed in Okaloosa County at the Destin Fort Walton Beach Airport!

🔔 ️Discovery of The Bell:
The Honorable Thomas Patterson Maney
🔹️Military Rank:
Retired U.S. Army Brigadier General.

🔹️Judicial Service:
Served 29 years as an Okaloosa County Court Judge.

🔹️Current Public Office:
Serves as a Representative in the Florida House of Representatives (District 4).

🔹️The Bell Story:
The official USS Okaloosa Wikipedia entry explicitly attributes the discovery & retrieval of the ship’s bell from Baldwin County, Alabama, to Judge Maney. It notes the bell’s formal return occurred on 04 Jan 12 for permanent display at the airport.

eodaudiophile, via reference HI-FI gear, navigates an audiophile journey through an extensive music library (1,775 albums from Abandon to ZZ Top) in reverse alphabetical order, album by album