Happy 100th to Arthur Squires, Royal Navy WW II Vet

From April 17, 2021, North Norfolk News  "Happy Birthday, Arthur!  100 up for Second World War naval hero" by Kate Wolstenholme.

At age 19, he was on track to work in the building industry, but then the war broke out.  In 1940, he enlisted in the Royal Navy to be a signalman.

"It was from my scouting days, I always like semaphore ... and I saw a signalman, he was up on the bridge ...and I thought,  it's healthier up there, but it meant reading Morse Code and semaphore at a very fast rate," he said.

Beginning his naval career on the North Atlantic convoys, Arthur went on to win honors  in Minesweepers on operations at Dieppe, North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Anzio and South France.

He was then promoted to leading signalman and joined C in C Mediterranean in Naples.  Once back in the UK to the Naval Air Station Belfast.

--GreGen

Life On Board the USS Oklahoma Before That Day-- Part 1: Stay Up Late

From the December  12, 2020,  Examiner-Enterprise  "Goodyear served as signalman on USS Oklahoma"  by Joe Todd.

This was from the second installment of an interview Joe Todd did with Pearl Harbor survivor Paul Goodyear in 2002.  He was aboard the USS Oklahoma in the attack.

It was interesting to find out what life was like aboard the ship before.  His rating was 3rd Class Signalman.

QUESTION:  WHERE WERE YOUR QUARTERS ON THE OKLAHOMA?

ANSWER:  Turret Number 2 came  into our compartment just a couple of feet and we were below the armored deck.  The compartment went from port to starboard.

Radio One was on the port side where the radiomen stood their watches.  It was about ten feet wide and the signalmen had the starboard side of the ship, but we all berthed together in the same compartment.

Since we were below the armored deck, we didn't have darkened ship while at sea.  We could stay up late, write letters, play Acee Deucee or read because we could keep our lights on.

--GreGen

Deaths of Two More Pearl Harbor Survivors in 2013

From the Oct. 9, 2013, Pittsburgh Trib Live "Work was way of life for Pearl Harbor survivor" by Debra Erdley.

Nelson Ferguson, 93, died Oct. 6, 2013,.  He was one of 11 children who joined the CCC at age 17 and sent part of his earnings home to support his family.

He joined the Army in 1940 and was in the Signal Corps in Hawaii that day.  He later served in northern Australia and Dutch New Guinea.

From the Oct. 3, 2013, Paducah (Ky) Sun.  Carl E$. Golightly was born in 1924 and died Oct. 1, 2013.  He joined the Navy at age 17 in April 1941 and was on the USS California during the attack.

What's Oscar Doing in the U.S. Signal Corps Museum?

You win an Oscar at the Academy Awards and there is an Oscar at the United States Army Signal Corps museum at Fort Gordon, Georgia.  You would not really expect to find one of these at a military museum like this.

From the museum brochure:

OSCAR. One of the most interesting artifacts at the museum is an Oscar awarded to the Signal Corps right after World War II.  It was for the short documentary "Seeds of destiny."

The Signal Corps operated a movie studio during the war at Astoria Long Island, N.Y.  The studiom produced training films such as the "Why We Fight" series by Major Frank Capra.

--GreGen