USS North Carolina (BB-55)-- Part 3: Now a State Memorial to World War II and Veterans

APRIL 1945--  After surviving a typhoon off the Philippines and leaving Iwo Jima, the North Carolina shot down Japanese kamikaze planes but also was hit by friendly fire which killed four and wounded 44.

OCTOBER 1945--  The battleship reaches the Brooklyn Navy Yard (New York Navy Yard) where she was built for an overhaul.  The ship is adjusted for training for the U.S. Naval Academy.

JUNE 27, 1947--  The USS North Carolina is decommissioned.

JUNE 1, 1960--  The ship is stricken from the U.S. Navy Vessel Register (which means the ship will be sold).  But, a North Carolina man named James Craig, led a campaign to raise $250,000 necessary to  prepare a site to host the ship, which was successful.  Wilmington became the host.  (A lot of the money came from student donations.  I am happy to say, some of those nickels, dimes and quarters came from me in 4th grade.

OCTOBER 2, 1961--  The North Carolina is steered into her new home  across from downtown Wilmington on the Cape Fear River.

APRIL 29, 1962--  The battleship is opened to visitors.

--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

Death of Pearl Harbor Survivor William Crosswell Croft in 2009

From the March 27, 2009, Chicago Sun-Times "Pearl Harbor survivor, businessman."

He married Barbara Engh, at one time a resident of Sycamore, Illinois, where I came across her name as being "Color Girl" of the USNA Class of 1940.

Whenever he was asked about his health, William Croft would say. "I'm rugged.  I'm rugged."

He was a young naval officer on the battleship USS California at Pearl Harbor that fateful day in which almost 100 of its crew were lost in the Japanese attack.  He was also on the battleship USS Indiana when it collided with the the USS Washington in which ten crew were killed.

Mr. Croft, 91, of Northbrook, Illinois, died of pneumonia Saturday at Glenbrook Hospital, March 21, 2009.

He married Barbara Engh in 1942.  She was "The One" from the moment he met her on a blind date in 1939.  They were married for 67 years.

William Crosswell Croft was born January 8, 1918, in Greenville, South Carolina.  In the Navy he rose from the rank of ensign to lieutenant-commander.

--GreGen

William Crosswell Croft-- USNA Class of 1940-- Part 5: At pearl Harbor

From the Citadel Memorial Europe:  William Crosswell Croft USNA Class of 1939.  (Although I had it that he was Class of 1940.)

Mr. Croft was on the battleship USS California when Pearl Harbor was attacked:

"On Sunday morning, I was suddenly awakened by the ringing of the general alarm....  I thought this was another drill and I ... looked out of my port hole just in time to see a Japanese plane strafing small boats in the channel not 100 yards away....  This was definitely no drill...

"About 8:10 a.m. an explosion similar to the firing of a turret occurred....  We had been torpedoed."

--GreGen

William Crosswell Croft, USNA Class of 1940-- Part 4: Boredom in Mothballs, Then Business World

Croft served on the USS Massachusetts for the rest of the war and ended up in command of the battleship while it was in mothballs at Norfolk.  He was in command of the ship for six months and beset by a major case of boredom and saw no foreseeable sea billets forthcoming, so he resigned in December 1946.

Afterwards, he held jobs with Anaconda Wire and Cable Company in California then in Los Angels.  In 1950, he moved to Chicago and joined Pyle National as plant manager.  He was elected president of Pyle in 1955 and served until 1977.

After that, he owned six companies in the Chicago area.

--GreGen

William Croswell Croft, USNA Class of 1940-- Part 2: A Question of Marriage

He was detached from the USS California in February 1941 and ordered to the USSIndiana which was fitting out at Newport News, Virginai.

While there, he married Barabar Engh, his 1940 "Color Girl" in March 1942, before it was legal to do so.  He married the same girl again in April 1942 after it was legal so he could claim the $40/ month housing allowment without having to lie about the marriage date.

He served as the Turret, Division and Deck Officer on the USS Indiana until 1944.

--GreGen

"Color Girls" -- Part 6: Barbara Engh

The USNA Nimitz Library has a photograph of Color Girl Helen Barbara Eagle from the Class of 1940.  I believe this to be a misprint of the name Engh.

It said that William Croswell Croft married Helen Barbara Engh, a 40s Color Girl in March 1941.

Of course, his being in the USNA Class of 1940 would have put him in World War II.  Perhaps he was at Pearl harbor.  I'll have to look him up to see what became of him.

--GreGen

"Color Girls"-- Part 5: Barbara Engh

From the True Republican of DeKalb County, Illinois, from 4 June 1940 (or 1941).  There is some confusion here.

Her family had lived in Sycamore, Illinois, but now resided in Irvington, New York.

Barbara Engh was selected by William C. Croft of Airken, South Carolina, commander of the 2nd Company at the USNA, the school's "Color Company."  She is a sophomore at Sweet Briar College, in Sweet Briar, Virginia.  The Engh family is well-known in Sycamore.

--GreGen

"Color Girls'-- Part 4: Her Duties

May 21, 2001, Laura Sullivan.

Color parade honors the USNA company with the highest academic and athletic scores during the year.   They are known as the Color Company.  This company then gets to pick a female to be its "Color Girl."    The Naval Academy buys her dress after the Color Company's commander has chosen the "Color Girl."

The "Color Girl's" duties include handing the color flag from the previous year's company this this year's color company, kissing the Color Company's commander if he is her boyfriend or fiance and accepting flowers and a string of pearls from school officers.

She can also join the Association of Color Girls of the Naval Academy who have a luncheon once a year.

In 2001, however, there was a problem because the commander of the Color Company was  Josette Fedor, a woman.

--GreGen

"Color Girls"-- Part 3: Still at USNA, But Now Called "Color Honorees"

This occurs during what is called Commissioning Week, when the graduating class gets their commissions in the USN.

A little further research and I found out that this is one tradition that still, in effect, remains.  Although now, the person so honored by the commander of the color company at the academy, is called "Color Honoree."  And instead of being girl friends or wives of the company commander, they have been their mothers in at least 2013 and 2016.

In 2013, the color company commander was Brooke Pitcher of East Hampton, Connecticut.  She chose her mother as "Color Honoree."

In 2016, the "Color Honoree" was Claire O'Garro, mother of 13th Company Comander Greggrie O'Garro.

So, The Tradition Continues.  I'm All For Tradition.  --GreGen

USNA "Color Girls"-- Part 2: A Dying Tradition?

From the May 27, 1992, Baltimore Sun "Color Girl tradition may be drummed out" by Joel McCord.

Barbara Engh was the USNA's "Color Girl" in either 1940 or 1941.  There is some confusion in accounts I've come across concerning the year.

However, by 1992, it was thought that the tradition was about to come to an end.

According to the article, the tradition was falling to "changing sensibilities."  Even though it had been a 121-year tradition at that point, having become a part of Commissioning Week activities in 1871.

By 1992, there were now graduating women from the USNA.

I came across mention that it continued into 2001.

--GreGen

USNA Color Girls-- Part 1: Barbara Engh

Back on June 23, 2016, I wrote about 19-year-old Barbara Engh, formerly of Sycamore, Illinois, having been named "Color Girl" of the graduating class of the United States Naval Academy (Class of 1941) at its June Week activities.  She and her family had since moved away, though.

I'd never heard of a "Color Girl" so had to inquire further.

--GreGen

Looking Back to 1941: A Signal Honor for a Local Girl

From the June 8, 2016, MidWeek (for DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

"A signal honor has been conferred on Miss Barabara Engh, 19 years old, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Engh, former Sycamore residents, she having been named 'color girl' of the graduating class of the United States Naval Academy as June week activities got underway."

--GreGen

Shorpy War Photos-- Part 2: Rowers and Nazi Salute in American Schools?

From the Shorpy photo site.

APRIL 11, 2014 BEACHED: 1942--  July 1942  July 1942  "U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, rowing crew.  Lt. Whitman, OWI.

Even with the war on, the new officers still had to be trained.

APRIL 9, 2014  TO THE REPUBLIC: 1942  May 1942  "Southington, Ct..  School children pledging allegiance to the flag."  By Fenno Jacobs, OWI.

A very interesting photo.  At first I thought they were doing the Nazi salute as the kids were holding up their right hands at a 45 degree angle. with the hand palm down

A reader commented that this was the Bellamy Salute where students were to turn their hands over when the words "to my flag" were said.  Later it was changed to the right hand over the heart and the words "to the flag."

This occurred because what they were doing was too similar to the Nazi salute.

Later, the hand was changed to over the heart throughout the pledge.

A Really Interesting Photo.  --GreGen