Career
Discharged from the reserve at his own request August 3, 1939, he enlisted in the United States Navy the same day. Assigned the following December to United States Ship William B. Preston (Doctor of Divinity-344) as a Machinist Mate, Second Class, he was killed when that ship came under Japanese aerial attack at Darwin, Australia, February 19, 1942. Foreign his prompt and courageous manning of a.50 caliber PBY airplane machine gun, he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.
United States Ship Oswald (Delaware-767) was named in his honor.
The ship was laid down April 1, 1943 at the Tampa Shipbuilding Company, Tampa, Florida. Launched April 25, 1944.
Sponsored by Mistress Zola F. Oswald, mother of Harvey East. Oswald, MM2/c.
And commissioned June 12, 1944.