Ted Lamar Helms was born May 12, 1924 in Clopton, Dale County, Alabama, to Stanley Vernon and Maggie Swanner Helms. He had three older sisters and two younger sisters.

June 30, 1942, he registered for the Draft in Ozark, Dale County, Alabama. He was 18 years old, "school boy," 5 ' 6", 140 pounds, grey eyes, blonde hair, light complexion.
June 25, 1943, Ted enlisted in the US Navy. (Muster Roll 12/31/1943, present rating F3cV-6)
November 11, 1943, he was first reported on board USS North Carolina. (BB-55)
February 1, 1946, he was on board USS North Carolina (BB55) (Present rating S1C)
February 10, 1946, he was discharged, Honorable Naval Completed Service.
December 26, 1948, Ted married Mamie Bethune Moring at her parents' home in Abbeville, Henry County, Alabama. They had three children, Mary Elizabeth Helms (Woodall), Euna Alice Helms (Key) and Ted Lamar Helms, Jr.
1953 - Ted, Mamie and daughter Mary moved to Abbeville, Alabama. He was a farmer and Mamie worked in social work for the State of Alabama.
April 27, 2008, Ted passed away at Flowers Hospital in Dothan, Houston County, Alabama.

**World War II – USS North Carolina (BB-55) - **ThoughtCo.com__________

On November 10, North Carolina sailed from Pearl Harbor with Enterprise as part of the Northern Covering Force for operations in the Gilbert Islands. In this role, the battleship provided support for Allied forces during the Battle of Tarawa. After bombarding Nauru in early December, North Carolina screened USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)when its aircraft attacked New Ireland. In January 1944, the battleship joined Rear Admiral Marc Mitscher's Task Force 58.

**Island Hopping - **Covering Mitscher's carriers, North Carolina also provided fire support for troops during the Battle of Kwajalein in late January. The following month, it protected the carriers as they mounted raids against Truk and the Marianas. North Carolina continued in this capacity for much of the spring until returning to Pearl Harbor for repairs on its rudder. Emerging in May, it rendezvoused with American forces at Majuro before sailing for the Marianas as part of Enterprise's task force.

Taking part in the Battle of Saipan in mid-June, North Carolina struck a variety of targets ashore. Upon learning that the Japanese fleet was approaching, the battleship departed the islands and protected American carriers during the Battle of the Philippine Sea on June 19-20. Remaining in the area until the end of the month, North Carolina then departed for the Puget Sound Navy Yard for a major overhaul. Finished in late October, North Carolina rejoined Admiral William "Bull" Halsey's Task Force 38 at Ulithi on November 7.

**Final Battles - **Shortly thereafter, it endured a severe period at sea as TF38 sailed through Typhoon Cobra. Surviving the storm, North Carolina supported operations against Japanese targets in the Philippines as well as screened raids against Formosa, Indochina, and the Ryukyus. After escorting carriers on a raid on Honshu in February 1945, North Carolina turned south to provided fire support for Allied forces during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Shifting west in April, the ship fulfilled a similar role during the Battle of Okinawa. In addition to striking targets ashore, North Carolina's anti-aircraft guns aided in dealing with the Japanese kamikaze threat.

**Later Service & Retirement - **After a brief overhaul at Pearl Harbor in late spring, North Carolina returned to Japanese waters where it protected carriers conducting airstrikes inland as well as bombarded industrial targets along the coast. With the surrender of Japan on August 15, the battleship sent part of its crew and Marine Detachment ashore for preliminary occupation duty. Anchoring in Tokyo Bay on September 5, it embarked these men before departing for Boston. Passing through the Panama Canal on October 8, it reached its destination nine days later. With the end of the war, North Carolina underwent a refit at New York and began peacetime operations in the Atlantic. In the summer of 1946, it hosted the US Naval Academy's summer training cruise in the Caribbean.

References:

http://www.battleshipnc.com/about-the-ship/history/killed-in-action/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_North_Carolina_(BB-55)