Jay Fields

Jay A. Fields, USN (Retired), passed away on Friday, August 2, 2024, at his residence in Beaufort, SC.
Graveside Services will be held at 12 PM Noon on Monday, August 12, 2024, at the Beaufort National Cemetery with Military Honors.
Jay was born on February 5, 1945, in Philadelphia, PA, the son of Allen and Mona (Carpenter) Fields. Jay joined the United States Navy in Miami in 1965. After boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois, he was assigned to USS Kearsarge (CV-33) in the Pacific. The ship was deployed to the western Pacific, including Vietnam for six months. In 1967, he separated from active duty to attend Florida Southern College under the GI Bill. He joined the active Naval Reserve and trained to become a Navy diver. For nearly the next 30 years he served as a diver, including recovery work on the Shuttle Challenger, a number of downed aircraft and the Ellis Island Ferry. In 1986 he was promoted to Chief Warrant Officer. He was instrumental in the relief efforts after Hurricane Andrew hit southeastern Florida.
In 1999, while serving attached to USS Inchon (LPH/MCS12) and deployed to the Mediterranean, he served ashore in Albania providing critical communications between the ship and its helos. He retired in 2001 as Chief Warrant Officer 4.
Jay was an avid historian and his interests included boating, woodworking, and restoring antique guns.
Survivors include: his beloved wife: Julie Gore Fields; children: Jason Fields and Mona Moorman; step-children: Russ, Jason, and Samantha Gore; and grandchildren: Nichole Fields, Jase Fields, Brian Moorman, and Jack Fields.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to Tunnels to Towers Foundation, an organization dedicated to assisting homeless veterans - an issue that was very important to Jay. Website: www.t2t.org.
His physical presence will be deeply missed although his Spirit will forever be in our hearts.