During World War II, the USS Pringle was a naval destroyer named for Vice Admiral Joel R. P. Pringle. It was built in Charleston, South Carolina and was commissioned on September 15, 1942. In February 1943, she made it to the Pacific and arrived at Guadalcanal in May and participated in the Solomon Islands campaign until August. The crew provided fire support in the Pacific Theatre of Operations.  

On April 16, 1945 near Iwo Jima, the crew of the USS Pringle shot down two kamikaze planes, but a third crashed into the ship. One or two bombs exploded and split the vessel into two halves. A total of 258 crew members survived and 69 were killed. The USS Pringle earned 10 battle stars during World War II. 

Seaman Second Class Warren R. Keister was born in Freeport, Illinois on March 28, 1913 to Eugene and Minnie (Klontz) Keister.

From the 1920 & the 1930 U.S. Census, the Keister family lived in Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois. The household included father Harry, mother Minnie, and children Harold, Irene and Warren. Father Harry was a telegraph operator for the CRR.

Father Harry Eugene Keister died on August 3, 1936 in Cook County, Illinois.

From the 1940 U.S. Census, the household included mother Minnie, and children Irene and Warren. Warren was a driver for a dairy for paid wages.

On October 16, 1940, Warren Russell Keister registered for the WWII Draft in Freeport, Illinois. His employer was Vohlkens Dairy in Freeport.

From the December 30, 1941 Freeport Journal-Standard marriage notice “Mr. and Mrs. George Share, of Monroe, announce the marriage of their daughter, Adele, of Freeport, to Warren Kiester, son of Mrs. Harvey Keister .. which was solemnized Friday, Dec. 26, at Keokuk, Ia...”

S2c (FC — Fire Controlman) Warren Russell Keister was stationed aboard the USS Pringle on the January 31, 1945 U.S. WWII Navy Muster Rolls. 

From the June 5, 1945 Freeport Journal-Standard article titled “Seaman Warren Keister Lost Life When ‘Pringle’ Was Sunk Off Okinawa,” the article stated “Warren R. Keister, 32, seaman 2/c, husband of Mrs. Adele Keister… has been reported by the navy department as having lost his life on April 16, 1945, while aboard the USS Pringle, sunk off the coast of Okinawa.

Seaman Keister had been reported as missing in action during a battle off Okinawa. He enlisted in March 1944, and after training at Great Lakes went overseas in October of that year, and had participated in action in the Admiralty and Iwo Jima islands. He was a former Fairbanks, Morse & Company employee.

Warren R. Keister was born in Freeport on March 28, 1913. He attended Freeport public schools. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Surviving are his widow, the former Adele Share, of Monroe, Wis.; a sister, Irene at home and a brother, Harold, living in Jackson, Miss. His father preceded him in death.”

From the July 19, 1945 Monroe Evening Times, a notice was posted “Mrs. Adele S. Keister…has enlisted in the WAVES and will report at Hunter college, New York, July 26, to begin training with the women’s corp...” The WAVES were Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, which was a women’s military unit of the U.S. Navy during WWII. 

Seaman Second Class Keister was listed on the Green County veteran services list as his next of kin was his wife who was living in Monroe soon after Keister died.

Seaman Second Class Warren R. Keister is memorialized at Honolulu, Hawaii. A memorial stone was placed at Rock Grove Cemetery in Rock Grove, Stephenson County, Illinois. He was killed in action and missing in action and received the Purple Heart, awarded posthumously.

Thank you, Seaman Second Class Warren Russell Keister, for your service to and ultimate sacrifice for this country. We honor you and remember you.