81st Anniversary of Pearl Harbor: Herbert Jacobson-- Part 7

This is the final entry in the story of Herbert Jacobson, one of the USS Oklahoma's unknowns who had since been identified and buried at Arlington National Cemetery.  I wrote about this story in seven of my eight blogs today.

Brad McDonald has a half-inch thick booklet containing the massive amount of technology and analysis used to identify his uncle and the other USS Oklahoma unknowns.

Of the 429 crewmen killed on the ship, 22 are still unidentified, likely because DNA samples from relatives weren't available,  Brad McDonald said.  He and other family members are traveling from Wisconin for the burial simply feel fortunate to have closure.

"It's a solemn occasion, but there's a sense of joy involved because we've been waiting a long time for this," he said.  "For me, it's nothing short of a miracle that they can identify someone who died 81 years ago."

A Great Story.

Trio Killed at Pearl Harbor Recently Identified

From the November 2, 2022, Stars and Stripes "Service members recently identified from past conflicts include trio killed at Pearl Harbor."

At least five service members  were accounted for last month by the Defense Department agency tasked with recovering U.S. troops listed as missing in action or prisoners of war.

Three of those identified by the Hawaii-based Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) were killed at Pearl Harbor in World War II and two fought in Korea.

All three Pearl Harbor men were on Battleship Row on December 7, 1941.  

Edward Conway, an electrician's mate from Auburn, Illinois, was on the USS Oklahoma.  His remains were identified  on October 1.

Floyd Clifford was a machinist mate from Mulvane, Kansas,  who also was killed on the Oklahoma.

Keith Tipsword, a machinist mate from Moccasin, Illinois, was on board the battleship USS West Virginia.

Their remains were identified July 12 and Septrmber 27, respectively.

I will have the two from Korea in my Cooter's History Thing blog today.

--GreGen

USS Luzon (PG-47)(PR-7): Not the One I Was Looking For

Probably not a ship from World War II that you have ever heard of before.  I know I hadn't.

This ship's history intersected with that of the submarine USS Sealion (SS-195) which was sunk when the Japanese attacked the Philippines in December 1941.

But, the Sealion was not the reason I came across the Luzon.  That all started in my Not So Forgotten:  War of 1812 blog.  I was looking for the Gunboat No. 47 that Richard Hill served on board in the New York Flotilla during that war.  As of now, I still haven't found anything about it, but came across this ship because of the PG-47 ship's number.

It has an interesting and not well-known history so I am going to write about it here.  In addition, it was a sister ship of the USS Panay as in the Panay Incident.

You can find the blog entries about Richard Hill in my February and March Not So Forgotten blog.  Go to the right of this and click that blog to go directly to it.

By the way, Richard Hill was a black sailor.

--GreGe

USS Montgomery (DD-121): Six Ships Named the USS Montgomery

From Wikipedia.

This month, the 2021 Paralyzed Veterans of America is featuring the current U.S. Navy warship USS Montgomery (LCS-8).  

This is the 6th ship in the American Navy to feature this name.

The first one was in the American Revolution, the second one in the War of 1812, the third one in the Civil War, the fourth one in the Spanish-American War and the fifth one in World War II.

I wrote about the first, fourth and sixth ships in my Cooter's History Thing blog.  The second one was featured in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog and the third in my Running the Blockade:  Civil War Navy blog.

This would be the place for information about the fifth USS Montgomery since it served in World War II.

It's a Blog Thing, You Know.  --GreGen

USS Gridley (DD-380)-- Part 1: The Gridley Class of Destroyers

The USS Gridley (DDG-101) was the featured current U.S. warship for the month of October 2021.  It is the fourth Navy ship named for Charles Vernon Gridley (of the "You may fire when ready, Gridley" fame).

The first USS Gridley was a Wickes-class destroyer (DD-92) launched in 1918 and decommissioned  in 1922.  I wrote about that one in November's Cooter's History Thing blog.  The USS Gridley (DD-380) was the second ship to bear the name.  I will write about it here since it fought in World War II.

The USS Gridley (DD-380) was the lead ship of her class of destroyers.  There were just four destroyers in her class.  The other three:

USS Craven (DD-382)  1937-1946  (Named after Tunis Craven USN, killed at Battle of Mobile Bay)

USS McCall  (DD-400)  1938-1945  (Named after Edward McCall who fought in the War of 1812)

USS Maury  (DD-401) 1938-1945  (Named after Matthey Maury, USN and CSN)

--GreGen

USS Russell (DD-414)-- Part 1: A Sims-Class Destroyer

From Wikipedia.

I have been writing about the USS Russell (DDG-59) in my Cooter's History Thing blog.  This ship is serving at present in the U.S. Navy and is a guided missile destroyer.  It was named after a Civil War naval officer, John Henry Russell, Dr. and the 16th Commandant of the USMC, John Russell, Jr..

I wrote about John Russell of the Civil War in my Running the Blockade:  Civil War Navy  blog earlier this month and am writing about the Russell who was Marine Corps Commandant in my Cooter's History Thing blog.

But, there was an earlier USS Russell (DD-414) which fought in World War II and was one of the most decorated of all U.S. warships during it.

**********************************

The USS Russell (DD-414) was a World War II Sims-class destroyer named after  Rear Admiral John Henry Russell who fought in the Mexican War and the Civil War.

General Characteristics:

348 feet long

36 foot beam

35 knots speed

Crew  192

Armament

Five 5-inch guns

Four .50 caliber machine guns

Eight 21-inch torpedo tubes

Two  depth charge racks

--GreGen

4002nd Post to This Blog (and 10th Year)

This is the 4002nd post to this blog which started in 2012, during the 70th anniversary of World War II.

Pearl Harbor has always been a subject of fascination for me and since it was also a major anniversary I broke this blog off from my Cooter's History Thing blog since I was already doing a whole lot of posts about Pearl Harbor and World War II on it anyway.

Growing up, I have to admit that I just took World War II veterans for granted as it seemed that all of my mom and dad's friends served in the military or home front.

My dad was too young, born in 1928 to serve and my mother was born in 1930.  She helped out at the Goldsboro, North Carolina USO.  My Uncle Delbert served with the 101st Airborne and was at the Battle of the Bulge.

The signoff GreGen stands for Greatest Generation.  They surely were.

--GreGen

Detroit's Fort Wayne-- Part 2: Anything Automotive, the Red Ball Express and Italian Prisoners

Every single tank, truck, jeep, tire or spare part that was produced in the Detroit area during the war came through Fort Wayne.   In addition, a railroad spur had been built by the river front , docks for large ships and over 2,000  (mostly civilian women) workers were employed.  It was a mighty busy place in the American war effort.

Drivers of the Red Ball Express were also trained there.

In addition, Italian prisoners from North Africa were interned there and used as  servants, cooks and janitors.    After Italy's surrender, they were given the opportunity to return to their country, but many chose to remain and settled in Detroit.

To see the whole history of Fort Wayne (as well as two other Detroit forts)  from the 1840s to the present, go to my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog for February.

--GreGen

Pearl Harbor in My Other Blogs This Past Monday, 79th Anniversary-- Part 2: Why Must We Remember Pearl Harbor

Continuing with my other four blogs.  Go to the My Blogs section to the right of this, click on the blog and scroll down to December 7 entry.

CIVIL WAR II:  THE CONTINUING WAR ON THE CONFEDRACY:  Mickey Granitch of the USS Pennsylvania getting ready for a football game with the USS Arizona's team.  Fought the battle in his uniform.

SAW THE ELEPHANT:  THE CIVIL WAR:  Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors carry on after the original Pearl Harbor Survivors Association disbands because of age and loss of members.

RUNNING THE BLOCKADE: CIVIL WAR NAVY:  Wayne Rader of the U.S. Army at Schofield Barracks.

ROADDOG'S ROADLOG BLOG:  Why we must remember Pearl Harbor (and why it isn't remembered).

--GreGen

Closed Due to Confederadication

Sadly, I am going to have to close this blog down to devote efforts to my  Civil War II:  The Continuing War on the Confederacy blog.  As some time in the future, when the current move to eradicate any and all things Confederate from the United States ends or slows down, I will start this one up first.  But right now, just way too many things are happening to Confederate monuments and all things Confederate and I am trying to keep up with it.

On average, I come across 20-30 headlines from the media about what is happening and with eight blogs, I don't have enough time to devote to the topic.  I have already closed down two other blogs.

I am calling this move by certain groups and politicians Confederadication.  The name just came to me as I was typing a story.  It combines the words Confederate and eradication.  They are trying, and accomplishing, the elimination of all things Confederate.

I had been looking for a term for this statue/flag mess and had been using Confederate Haters, but that just didn't have the right ring to it.   I just dropped the "te" at the end of Confederate and added "dication"  and there was the word.

So, Until Some Future Date, Good Reading.

--GreGen

NIU in World War II-- Part 1: Huge Impact

I have been writing about Northern Illinois University's (NIU) 125th anniversary this year in my Cooter's History Thing blog (click on that blog in the My Blogs section to the right of this).

There was a large display of photographs of service men and women from the school in the Altgeld Hall foyer during the duration of the war.

After the war, the number of male students exploded thanks to the GI Loan and required creative housing  solutions such as rows of bunks and cots in the school's Still Gym.

At the beginning of the war, NIU was the Northern Illinois State Teachers College (NISTC) and had  just over 1,000 students (370 men and 638 women).  Over the duration there was a constant exodus of students, both men and women,  going into service, leaving a wartime student population of just 500.

For those who stayed in DeKalb, the war loomed large.  Students and faculty sold war bonds, went without food and materials needed for the war effort.  Packages were sent to friends overseas.  A Faculty Defense Council was established, along with a Civilian Morale Committee, to coordinate volunteer efforts.

NISTC/NIU Was All In.  --GreGen

USS Vixen (PG-53)-- Part 1

I have been writing about Edward Simpson, USN in my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog.  He was a Civil War officer and was in the  first USNA graduating class in 1846.  He also served during the Mexican War on a ship named the USS Vixen.  You can read about that service in that blog, plus find the names of other U.S. Navy ships named the Vixen in my Cooter's History Thing blog.  Just click on the blog in my My Blogs List to the right of this.

There was also a USS Vixen (PG-53) that served during World War II.

I will be writing about it in the future.

--GreGen

Roadtrippin' Through History: HMS Venturer (P68)-- Part 1, A Famous Submarine

This is part of my Roadtrippin' Through History where I start with a story, even one from another blog, and continue to dig deeper and see where I end up.  This is kind of like going to You Tube to hear a song and four hours later, you're still on You Tube and a real long way from that original song. (This happens to me a lot.)

I have been writing about the second HMS Nimrod in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog.  The first HMS Nimrod captured a French privateer in 1807 and it was taken into the British Navy as the HMS Venturer.  Later it became the HMS Theodosia before being sold in 1814.

The next HMS Venturer wasn't until World War II and this one was a submarine.

From Wikipedia.

HMS VENTURER (P68)

Lead submarine of the British "V" Class.  Commissioned 18 August 1943.

Sank three Axis vessels in 1844, as well as the German submarine U-771 on 11 November 1944.

But what the Venturer is most noted for her her sinking of the U-864 with a torpedo while submerged, the first time ever that a submerged submarine had sunk an enemy submarine while it was also submerged.

--GreGen

1940 Olympics Cancelled in Japan Because of World War II

 The Olympics scheduled for this summer in Tokyo look like they will be put off until next year because of you-know-what.  This will not be the first time the Olympics have been cancelled or put off.  It also happened in 1916, 1940 and 1944 when they were altogether cancelled.

I wrote about the 1916 one during World War I in my Cooter's History Thing blog.

From the March 22, 2020, Chicago Tribune "Olympics:  Groundswell builds" by Eddie Pells, AP.

1940 SUMMER OLYMPICS

In an era when the selected nation go the option of hosting both the Summer and Winter Games in the same year, Japan was a surprising choice as the first non-Western country to be awarded the Olympics.

Tokyo was to be the summer host, with Sapporo getting the winter version.

Again, war got in the way.  After World War II began in September 1939  with Germany's invasion of Poland, the Olympics were cancelled altogether.

Tokyo would eventually get the chance to host the Summer Games in 1964 -- still the first Asian city to receive the honor -- while Sapporo landed the 1972 Winter Games.

--GreGen

Charles Sanna: Submarines and Swiss Miss

From Find A Grave.

Born:  9 Nov. 1917, Philadelphia, Pa.

Died:  13 March 2019  Fitchburg, Wis.

Buried:  Resurrection Cemetery  Madison, Wis.  (Where comedian Chris Farley is buried.)

In July 1941, with war raging in Europe, he applied for and received a commission in the U.S. Navy and was sent to diesel school at Penn State.  After Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, where he oversaw construction of submarines.  Sitting across from his desk was his boss' secretary Margaret (Peggy) McGee, who became the love of his life.

In February 1944, he was ordered to duty in the Pacific Theater where he spent the remainder of the war at Pearl Harbor as Officer-In-Charge of Submarine Repair and Alterations.  In November 1945, Lieutenant Commander Sanna returned to Portsmouth, Maine, and in January 1946 married Peggy.

For more information on his non-military life, see my Cooter's History Thing blog for this month.

--GreGen

1942: George Halas Goes Off to War and the Bears Go On Defense and Winning Streak-- Part 1

From the November 16, 2019, Chicago Sun-Times.

I have been writing about the Chicago Bears in my Cooter's History Thing blog earlier this month.

When founder and coach George Halas left the undefeated Chicago Bears to serve in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant commander in the middle of the 1942 season, the Bears responded with one of the great defensive runs of all time in the NFL.

They shut out the winless Detroit Lions 16-0 in their first game without Halas, then beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 42-0 in Brooklyn the next week.

They nearly had a third consecutive shutout when they were leading the rival Packers 38-0 late in the fourth quarter at Wrigley Field -- until Cecil Isbell threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Don Hutson late in the final quarter.

But the Bears kept on going.  They beat the Lions 42-0 (with 12 takeaways), the Rams 47-0 and they did not allow a offensive touchdown in a 21-7 victory against the rival Cardinals to complete an 11-0 season.  The Cardinals scored off a fumkble on an aborted Bears punt in the waning moments.

--GreGen

9th Year, 3,574th Post for This Blog

Today marks the ninth year of this blog which I started in 2012 during the 70th anniversary of it.  I have always been interested in Pearl Harbor, which is my biggest posting in labels.  With us losing so many World War II veterans every day and the fact that so much of my regular history blog, Cooter's History Thing, was becoming about the war, it seemed only natural to start this one.

The sign off name, GreGen stands for Greatest Generation, which they, in my opinion, definitely are.

Growing up, I was born in 1951, the World War II veterans were always around.  Never thought about getting to the point where they are so rare.  But, time goes on.

--GreGen

78th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

This Saturday will mark the 78th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which caused the United States to enter World War II, which had already been going on since 1939.

In commemorating it, I will write about it in this blog starting today and for the next several weeks.  On December 7, Saturday, I will write about it in all eight of my blogs.

It Won't Be Forgotten.  --GreGen

My sign off name by the way, GreGen, is short for Greatest Generation, of which, the Pearl Harbor people belonged.

Honor Flights Expanded to Korean and Vietnam Wars

The not-for-profit Honor Flight Program initially started as a way to get World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to see the WW II Memorial at no charge to them.  It was opened up to Korean War veterans in 2016 and now, this year, to Vietnam War veterans.

I have been writing about this program and Honor Flight Chicago these last two weeks in my Cooter's History Thing blog.

--GreGen

USS Fulton (AS-11)-- Part 1: Five Ships By This Name in U.S. Navy

Last month, I wrote about four previous USS Fultons that served in the U.S. Navy in three of my blogs.

USS Fulton (USS Demologos), designed by Robert Fulton, launched in 1815.  steam frigate in my Not So Forgotten" War of 1812 blog.

USS  Fulton (1837)  A sidewheel  steamer carrying four cannons.  Captured by the Confederates in 1861 and destroyed by them at Pensacola, Florida, to prevent capture in 1862.  This was in my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog.

USS Fulton (AS-1).   The first purpose-built submarine tender launched in 1914 and reclassified as a gunboat in 1930 in my Cooter's History Thing blog.

USS Fulton (SP-247) a tugboat converted to a patrol boat 1917-1919.  In my Cooter's History Thing blog.

And this is the last U.S. ship by that name and a submarine tender which was in World War II and served until 1991.  At the time of decommissioning, it was the third oldest U.S. Ship, behind the USS Constitution and USS Vulcan.

--GreGen