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Note: Daniel Seymour, the second son of Harry John, engaged in the sports of football and basketball in high school. His education in electronics led to his first job with RCA in Camden, NJ. He enlisted in the Navy, and his early service was as a radioman in PBY patrol planes looking for German submarines in the Atlanitic. He applied for duty with a carrier-based squadron and was assigned as radioman in a dive-bombing squadron commander's aircraft. Dan saw action aboard the carrier "Wasp" at Truk, the Philippine Sea, and numerous other actions in the Pacific, while earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, 7 air medals, 2 Navy unit citations, the Philippine Liberation Medal, American Defense Medal, National Defense and Navy Good Condust Medals. He was honorably discharged as Aviation Chief Radioman and returned to work at RCA.
During the Korean action, Dan was recalled to active duty and assigned to a patrol squadron of Lockheed Neptunes. A week prior to departure for Korea, Dan's plane experienced a runaway engine on takeoff. The plane's commander immediately began a turn-back to the field while Dan investigated a station on the aircraft that could possibly have been the source of the problem. The emergency that ensued was severe in its consequences. The plane was forced off the runway, striking a radar truck. The major part of the disabled craft, containing all of the crew, careened across the field to impact a drainage embankment. Dan sustained disabling spinal damage that resulted in paraplegia. Following lengthy hospital stays, Dan returned once more to RCA, driving to and from work and doing his job from a wheel chair.
The productivity Dan has demonstrated includes: serious efforts as a painter of note with works hanging in homes and commercial establishments, in the area; a modest TV repair operation; maintenance of a large home on extensive ground, all conditioned to his need for access via wheelchair.
Obituary:
Daniel S. DeVoto
Daniel S. DeVoto, age 82 of Pitman, NJ, died Sunday, May 19, 2002 at the Bronx Veterans Administrative Medical Center.
Mr. DeVoto was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1919 at the Swedish Hospital. He graduated from Pitman High School in 1938. He played football and basketball in his four year high school career. After graduation he enrolled with the DeVry Institute learning to become a radio and electronic expert. He was employed by RCA in Camden, NJ. He enlisted in the US Navy in 1939 becoming a radioman in a PBY squadron on submarine patrol guarding the Atlantic coast prior to America's entry in WWII. He elected to transfer to combat duty as the Navy went to wartime condition. As a Chief Petty Officer radioman, he flew combat with the commander of the dive bomber section of AirGroup 14, flying off the aircraft carrier USS Wasp, in actions that extended across the Pacific from Truk, the Mariana's, to the Battles of the Philippine Sea. His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, seven Air Medals and numerous campaign awards.
At the end of WWII, he returned to the employ of RCA until being recalled to active duty in the Korean War. Once more as a combat crewman aboard P2V patrol aircraft ordered to Whidby Island, WA to train for departure to the Orient, he was severely injured in the crash of his aircraft there. His injury resulted in paraplegia that required long hospitalization however, Dan responded by returning to work at RCA. He had a home specially built for easy access by wheelchair and spent his remaining years as an electronics technician at RCA, maintaining his home and extensive grounds with his wife, Marie. Repairing TV's at home, painting with acrylics and finding a ready market for his work with a local restaurateur.
Mr. DeVoto was instrumental in the education of his two grandsons in the building and flying model aircraft as well as their interests in science and sports. Their development as young men to become achievers in their chosen fields, one in naval aviation as F-18 instructor and the other as a businessman/all-star rugby player; is due to him and his wife as caring grandparents.
He was one of the early members of the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association and served as President of the Pitman Chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in 1960's.
Mr. DeVoto is survived by his wife of 56 years, Anna Marie (Lyons) DeVoto; Two daughters, Kathleen Shuman of Rockville, MD and Mary Karen DeVoto of Lovettsville, VA; two brothers, Harry J. DeVoto, Jr of San Ramon, CA and John Edwin DeVoto of Wilmington, DE. His grandchildren are Maxwell Shuman and Kurt Shuman.
He is interred in the Arlington National Cemetery near where his parents, Harry J. DeVoto and Lillian May (Seymour) DeVoto rest.
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