Hugh Jackson Defrees Jr. was born on January 21, 1924 to Hugh and Beatrice Defrees of Toledo, Ohio. Only completing up to the 11th grade, Defrees left school early and applied for enlistment on December 26, 1941, stating his reason for enlisting was his desire to do his patriotic duty. Being only 17, Defrees parents had to sign off on him joining the military. He officially enlisted into the United States Navy out of the United States Naval Reserve Station in Detroit, Michigan on January 5, 1942.    After training at the United States Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, Illinois throughout the first part of 1942, he was transferred aboard the USS Quincy, a New Orleans-class Cruiser on April 8, 1942.   Covering United States Marine landings on Guadalcanal in early August, 1942, the USS Quincy along with a force of two other cruisers was patrolling in the channel between Guadalcanal and Florida Islands known as Iron Bottom Sound. On the night of August 9, 1942 the American Naval force in the Channel was attacked by a large Japanese force in what would become known as the First Battle of Savo Island.   Being illuminated by searchlights from the Japanese formation at 1:55 am, Quincy, preparing to fire, was caught in a crossfire of shells from three Japanese cruisers. Ordered to charge at the Japanese cruisers, Quincy, hit by an enemy torpedo managed to fire off a few gun salvos. One of which hit a Japanese cruiser. Roughly at 2:10 am the Quincy’s bridge was racked by fire, killing or wounding most of the crew including the ship’s captain. Losing power and gun controls by a fired torpedo, the Quincy fell silent about 2:15 am. She sank bow first about 2:38 am, with the loss of 370 sailors.   The USS Quincy was noted for its bravery by the enemy in charging towards the Japanese foe. It was during this action at the Battle of Savo Island, on August 9, 1942, that Hugh Defrees Jr. was killed in action aboard the USS Quincy. He was 18 years old. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Philippines.  

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Yes, Those are authentic.

Here's LT Beedy, presumably back Stateside after his tour, electing to wear all insignia of his former but very recent unit, the 4th of the 9th Inf Manchu, don't see the 25th Inf Div patch, as it's probably been sewn on the combat side as was common for returning people at Oakland or Lewis.

WWII and even into the Korean War  time period.