Paul Andrews Nash was born in Coles County, Illinois, in 1915 and grew up in Carlisle. In 1933 he graduated from Carlisle High School. The year before, he secretly married Kathryn Wilson of Paris, Illinois. They couldn't afford to be on their own so continued to live with their parents.
Nash enlisted in the Navy in 1933 and had his basic training at Great Lakes in Illinois. From there he was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, the only ship he ever served on. He became a Fire Controlman First Class in charge of the ship's main battery of 14-inch guns.
Unable to find a job, he reenlisted twice for four years in 1937 and another three in 1941.
The telegram saying that he was still missing after the attack arrived in December 20, 1941, his daughter Carol's birthday.
Welcome Home, Sir. --GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
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