California (BB 44) - Naval Cruise Book

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for discharge. Reenlisted in 1949. served on various ships on the East Coast. transfen'ed to the Fleet Reserve on Dec. 4. 1964. as a Senior Chief Boilerrnaker. Retired from the LSN on Jan. 1. 1972. Living in Cape Coral. FL. since December 1980. ERYIN A. SHIINIINIAN. S llc. CS Division, born Toledo. OH. Jan. 29. 1925. Enlisted Dec. 9. 1942. USNR. SM CS Division. Service includes Great Lakes, IL. Farragut. ID. LSS Calitiirnia. Participated in the following battles: Lingayen Gulf Okinawa. Saipan, Guam. Tinian, Leyte Gulf. Surigao Strait. Memorable experiences: He was in Admiral J.B. Oldendorf staff in the Philippines Campaign. He circumnavigated the globe and crossed the Equator in the Pacific. Indian. Atlantic Oceans. Traveled by water 100.150 miles during WWII. Awards!Meda1s: American Theater Medal. Asiatic- Pacific Campaign Medal with four stars, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two stars. WWII Victory Medal with one star. Good Conduct Medal. Discharged Dec. 12. 1945. with the ranks ofAS. S2! c. Sllc. Married to Barbara. Retired from Ohio Operating Engineers with 47 years service. was a crane operator. He passed away March 4. 1994. .ALEXANDER SHIMSKEY, BM 3!c. Sth Division. born Baxter. WV. Aug. 7. 1919. Enlisted Sept. 28. 1940. Boot training NTS Norfolk. VA. Nj i if A af ff Military locationslstations: Long Beach. Bremerton. Pearl I-larbor. Oahu. .Assigned for only two weeks to the IQSS Arigona while waiting for the California. Attended fire fighting school. Battles participated in: Pearl Harbor. Marianas. Saipan. Tinian. Guam. Surigao Strait. Leyte. Luzon and Okinawa. Memorable experiences include being reported dead bl. the Naxg Department lor 31 days and being buried in absentia Went on around the world cruise. Assigned to a prison ship guarding general courts martial prisoners. AwardslMedals. Asiaticallacilic Campaign Medal. Philippine Liberation Ribbon. Pearl Harbor Medal and lhbbon. two Good Conduct Awards. 111'-.charged Sept 256. 1946. Married with three sons. Iwo ol which went into the Navy and one. the Air I-orce. lout grandchildren Retired front Burlington Northern RR. Now gardens. and talks to grade and high school students about his experiences. KERMIT A. SIEIVIERS, Seaman lst Class. born Marshfield. WI. April 5. 1910. Enlisted May 20. 1943. USNR. CC Division. USS California Print Shop Operator. Service includes Great Lakes Naval Training Station. Bretnerton. WA. Participated in the following battles: Saipan. Tinian. Guam. Leyte. Battle of Surigao Strait. Okinawa. Lingayen Gulf and Occupation of Japan. Memorable experiences include when hit by a kamikaze nearing Lingayen Gulf. AwardsfMedals: Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two stars. Asiatic-Paciic Campaign Medal with five Bronze Stars, WWII Victory Medal. American Area Medal. Discharged Dec. 12, 1945. Married Lileen Luetke. June 1939. of Ripon. WI. Had two children. Paul and Mark. Retired, worked for American Totalisator at race tracks. JAMES JIM SIMMONS, bom March 20. 1926, Warren, OH. Grew up and attended grade school and high school in Akron, OH. Enlisted in the U.S. Navy in March 1944. Went through boot camp at Great Lakes. IL. where he celebrated his 18th birthday. After a 10 day boot leave they were shipped to an embarkation base at Shoemaker. CA. for approximately one month at which time they were shipped out on a troop ship. the General Scott and waved good-bye to the Golden Gate Bridge in June 1944. After a shon two-day stop at Pearl Harbor during which they were not pemiitted to leave the ship they left and sailed to the Island of Eniwetok. Marshall Islands. At Eniwetok. to his good fortune. he was assigned to duty on the Prune Barge. BB44 USS California. He feels that he was also fortunate to be assigned to the F Division Fire Control on the 5 inch 38 Dual Mounts eventually being assigned to the computers in Sky Plot. One of his many fond memories aboard BB44 was the first night he went aboard at Eniwetok. It was 11:30 p.tn.. they carrie along side in a landing craft with supplies plus seabags. The deck crew swung the Fantail Crane out over the starboard quaterdeck. lowered the cable and picked up all the supplies which were in a cargo net and about a dozen raw recruits were told to get a foothold and hang onto the cargo net. They did and were lifted up onto the quarter-deck. His introduction tot the Prune Barge. Another fond memory was after V.J. Day when they left Japan and sailed the rest of the way around the world stopping at Singapore. Colombo. Ceylon. then Capetown. South Africa and finally arriving at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on Dec. 7. 1945. He was still 19 years old. He helped ptll 'ole BB44, into moth balls and finally got enough points to be discharged on May 5, 1956. at Bainbridge. MD. God bless the guys who did not come back. ERWIN RAYMOND SKOWRONEK. Fireman First Class. V-6. born Alpena. Ml. Dec. 16, 1925. Enlisted March 3. 1944. Navy. Service included USNTS Detroit. Farragut. ID. USS California. Awards!Meda1s: Pacific Theater Ribbon with one star, American Theater Ribbon. Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two stars. WWII Victory Medal. Discharged May 5. 1946. Married with four children. Retired. but work all week overlooking three businesses his children are running. BENJAMIN JAMES SMITH, SKC, born Nov. 19. 1920. in Shawmut, MT. Joined the Navy on Sept. 15, 1939. at Los Angeles and trained at the Naval Training Center. vit. Z 3--A gxg: ,,, 'di-in-.mug P--- - i. 2 -1.1. a San Diego. in Co. 39-28. Transferred to the USS Calybrnia in November 1939. and assigned to the 3rd Division. In March 1940. reassigned to the S Division as a Storekeeper Striker. Was serving in the Disbursing Ofhce as a SK3!c on Dec. 7. 1941. Served as part ofthe nucleus crew during the salvage and return ofthe ship to Bremerton. WA. as the Canteen Storekeeper. During reconstruction was assigned to the supply office and served in that capacity until May 1945. at which time was appointed APCKTJ and reassigned to the USS Zeilin KAPA-33 as assistant stores officer. Awarded the American Defense American Theater. Asiatic- Pacific Campaign Medal. Good Conduct Medal. WWII Victory Medal. Philippine Liberation Medal KPLMJ and the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Badge QPRPUCBJ. After discharge in 1946. joined the Naval Reserve C12NDl and finished serving 30 years. Married. the father of two daughters and has four grandchildren. now retired and lives with wife in Yucca Valley. CA. BILLY E. SMITH, CSC. USN. CRet.J. was bom Jan. 5. 1923. in Ft. Worth. TX. Enlisted in the Navy Aug. 3 1. 1940. Received boot training at San Diego. CA. Co 40-65. Assigned to USS California BB44. October 1940. promoted to Bkr. 3!c Dec. 1. 1941 . Was on board December 7th during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Later assigned to CASU 143 Kaneohe. then to U.S. Submarine Base. PHTH. Commissioned and spent the last years of WWII on board the USS Granville CAPA-171 J transporting troops to Guam. Saipan. Tinian and was at Okinawa during the kamikaze attacks. K V ,JE -3112 ' ft 5 Over a 20 year Navy career served on the USS Riddle tDE185J. USS Nueces CAPB-403. at Naval Communication Stations Haiku and Wahiawa and U.S. Naval Air Station in San Diego. CA. Served on board USS Mocking Bird tAMS27l during Korean Conflict as CSI. Also served on board USS Competent tAM316J and USS Pittsburgh CCA72D. Was promoted to CSC on board USS Toledo tCA133J in 1956. served on USS Douglas A. Munro CDE-1223 and retired from Navy March 16. 1960. at U.S. Naval Torpedo Station. Keyport. WA. Retumed to Texas and became a successful Mobil service station dealer. A recipient of numerous marketing and service awards until retirement in 1989. Father oftwo sons. David N. of Irving. TX. and Jeff K. of Houston. TX. and daughter Kimberly Childress of Longview. TX. Resides with wife Beatrice Hare of Porterville. CA, at their cattle ranch in Waller. TX.

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l00 school Washington. D.C., on new FC equipment ship was getting. Married Irene Johnson of Minnesota. Went to sea on ship, bombarding various islands and Philippines, Naval battle of Philippines, and Japan landing. Returned to States from Japan to Ceylon, Singapore, Capetown and Philadelphia. Had two 3-year recruiting duty tours. Served on USS Salumonie Mediterranean, Elokoinin East Coast, DD7l7 Chandler Korea, USS Hamill repair ship Japan, USS Rochester West Coast. Retired Oct. 10, 1957. Nine children, Mark, Mike, Patricia, William, Donald Jr. deceased, Eileen, Mary, Theresa and Loretta. Eight grandchildren. GEORGE F. SCOTT, USNR, MM3!c Division M, bom Jan. 19, 1912, at Rowland, NV, was working as laundry foreman at Camp Beale. Was drafted into the service from Grass Valley, CA, 32 years old married, one child. March 2, 1944, bus load of draftees was sent to the induction center in San Francisco, He was asked which branch of the serviced preferred. He said Navy. After tests and examinations his papers came back stamped Navy. Navy ones sent to Farragut, ID, to Boot Camp, after boot training were sent back to Camp Shoemaker to await assignment. First part of May 4,000 of them were bused to San Francisco loaded on a troop transport. Taken across the Pacific to Eniwetok. The fleet came there, they were all transferred to different ships. He landed on the USS CalU'0rnia officer on board said either gunner or engineering. He took engineering, landed in M Division, Forward Engine Room, changed from apprentice seaman to apprentice fireman, in a short time advance to fireman first class. Was in all the battles out there Rota Leyte Sea Battle, Luzon took a kamikaze plane at Luzon came back to Bremerton to be repaired. Lost 50 men. Back out there he took the exam for MM3!c. He passed it and was advanced to MM3!c. After the war ship was to report to Philadelphia. The captain took them to Tokyo, Singapore, Ceylon then Capetown on the way to Philadelphia, December 1, was in Philadelphia. Loaded on a train coming west arrived in San Francisco, bused to Camp Beale where he received his discharge Dec. 15, 1945. ERWIN LEROY SEARLE, Gunners Mate 3!c, USN, USS Calnfornia, was bom Nov. 7, 1919, in Bancroft, IA, and moved to Mason City, IA, in 1925. Graduated from high school in 1938, enlisted in the Navy Sept. 21, 1938. Recruit training at Great Lakes, IL, served aboard the USS Calnfornia BB44. His battle station was forward flooding station for mount one and two, 14 inch .50 caliber guns on third deck. The Calzfornia was struck with three torpedoes, two amidships and one forward, causing the ship to list forward. The third deck commenced flooding with fuel. Three dive bombing attacks were made, coming successively from the port bow, from ahead and from the starboard bow. The hits and near misses left the ship listing eight degrees to port. Erwin died at his battle station. When ship was refloated, he was interred grave 611, Halawa Naval Cemetery, Oahu. August 6, 1949, final resting place, Field of Honor, Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City, IA. HARLAN JAMES SEARLE, GMl!c USN, born March 13, 1922, Bancroft, IA. Moved to Mason City, IA, in 1925. Graduated from high school in 1940. Sept. 10, 1940, enlisted in USN. Recruit training at Great Lakes, IL. Reported aboard USS California in November 1940, special order brother. Was in 1- Division with his brother, Erwin, until December 7th. Work station was Ordinance Tool Room, third deck, with Killingsworth. GM llc. Battle station was alter llooding station. third deck for mount 3 and 4, 14 inch .50 caliber guns main battery. Plambeck, GMl!c was with him at station. When water and fuel lilled compartment requested permission to leave battle station. Told to remain so would not endanger flooding rest of ship. Woke up in temporary hospital on Ford Island with Plambeck in adjoining bunk. Helped remove 5 inch 51 caliber guns from ship, setting them up on island for use by Army, teaching them how to maintain and fire them. Sent to anti-submarine school in Miami, FL. Served aboard PC 512 then SC643, at Hawaiian Sea Frontier, Pearl Harbor. In 1944, sent to Advanced GM and Hydraulic School in Washington, D.C. After nine weeks of school went to Norfolk, VA, for new construction. From there to Todd Shipyard in Seattle, WA, to supervise fitting out gunnery department on USS Gurke DD783, March 1945. Ship commissioned May 12, 1945. After Shakedown cruise to San Diego left for Japan on Aug. 27, 1945. They helped evacuate Japanese troops from outer islands to Tokyo Bay and main islands. Left Okinawa Jan. 22, 1946. Arrived San Diego Feb. 10, 1946, after logging 530,608 miles. He was discharged Nov. 12, 1946. Married in San Francisco, CA, Nov. 28, 1942, to Amita Bruns of Mason City, IA. Have six children, 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Retired from construction business in Mason City, IA 1985. ROY H. SEIFERT, U.S. Marines, born April 7, 1919, Sacramento, CA. He joined the Marines April 12, 1937, and was trained at the Marine Base, San Diego, CA. He 3 vw -i A 7,.. - 1'-1.1.-rm ' A1+'fftf5f'l . . ' ' j ' Q-4-'ig ' 'Car' 1 3' Cs 1 I , I - F I x-'sa' 115, I X tr at ' ,gi 1, . .5 r l -' !',K K fy .T-it ag-f 7 I 4-.gg . r te 2 f , X15 was assigned to the USS CalU'0rnia June 30, 1937, at San Pedro, CA. He was stationed for a time at Bremerton, WA, later he was transferred to the San Diego Marine Base. While there his battalion was picked to field test the new M1 Garand rifle to replace the old 30.06. The tests found it defective and had to be retrofitted by the factory, later it was used extensively during WWII. During maneuvers he was injured and honorably discharged with Good Conduct Medal. He then went to work at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, CA. When war with Japan broke out he tried to re-enlist but was rejected for medical reasons. He subsequently worked 30 years for the defense department. He married Mildred Young in 1944. They have two children, six grandchildren and one great-grandson. They have a small horse ranch in Northern California and ride horses extensively. As an avocation he works as a reserve deputy sheriff on boat patrol. CLYDE SENTERS, USN, born March 5, 1923. in Georges Cr., KY. Trained at Great Lakes, IL, beginning May 28, 1943. As coxswain he would transport officers ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore. He liked that cause it got him out of ships duties so he could train for the boxing team. He was heavyweight champion of the 7th Fleet. His battle station call put him at the five-inch guns. ' an www J llc always thought it ,trange that ni. lreend kificti ,itz f kainikafe strike wa'-, lroin Iowa and he rnowfzd to lo ao 40 miles lrotn places his lrienfl :poke about He participated at Leyte. Surigao lnrtgayes ant, Okinawa. His rnedals wereg Philippine Liberation Ribrlor with two stars, Pacilic Theater with tour stars. Arriericar Theater Ribbon, and the Victory Medal He wa'.f1i'-,chargee Feb. 3, 1946, at Bainbridge, .VID Married to Emma Stephens and had tnree chitdrer. and four grandchildren. Before his death in 1980 in Dundee IA, he received his BA and .VIA degrees from Lazterri Kentucky University and was a school adrninistrator for 28 years. CHUCK SHARMAN, from Tacoma, WA reponed aboard the USS Calyornia in July 1940. She was in dock in Bremerton, WA. Bob Mitchell was 17 and Sharman was 18. They became signalmen strikers, made Slfcg got off and on a shit list or two, had lots of good liberties, drank gallons of bad coffee and missed their high-school sweethearts. They left the California about a week after Pearl Harbor for the USS Portland. Following the Coral Sea and battle of Midway, Mitch was transferred to the LISS Atlanta. He vt as the only one on the bridge to survive her sinking during the battle of Guadalcanal. After nine months and several hospitals he went aboard the USS Hanford. where he finished the war as a CQM. Shamian was transferred from the L'SS Portland to the USS Crescent City. then to Lunga Pt. signal tower on Guadalcanal, subsequently to USS Ibn lkzlkenberg. ended the war as SM1!c in Pearl Harbor as an instructor at signaling school. Bob and Stella Mitchell live in Port Ludlovv. WA. and Sun City, AZ. They have three children: Tom. Jim and Cindy. Sharrnan lives here and there and has three sons: Mitch, Bill and Dave. WILLIAM CONRAD SHEA, Ships Cook Ind Class. bom Nashwauk Village. MN Enlisted Jan. 6. 19-13. Navy. Division S. NTS Farragut. ID. and L'SS Ctzlilnvrnirz. Memorable experiences include the card games. and all the good shipmates. Discharged June 9. 19-16. On April 13, 195 1 .joined the Navy again and Honorable Discharged on April ll. 1955. was in Saspo. Japan. during the Korea War. He had three sisters and three brothers. fix e ot' them were in the service. Today he is 68 years old and retired from working in the iron ore mines of Minnesota. PIERSON R. SHELTON JR.. BRCS. ISN tRet,t. enlisted in the USN .luly 1938. Raleigh. NC. boot tztnip in Norfolk. V.-X. Sailed to Long Beach. CA. aboard the USS Hetitlerwrz. assigned tothe I'SS CrIlllf'l17 Ilitl. Dis ision 2, and transferred to the B Dix ision in 1939. Rated XYTIC in 1941. l'lonornbly discharged on Oct. 30, I9-ll. front the USS Cnlififrnia anchored in long Beach. C -X. enroute to Pearl Harbor. Rcenlistcd in I9-12. Receixcd the Presidential Ilnit Citation in the Battle ofthe -Xtl.intic Deployed to the Pacific in 194-1. XX hilc aboard the ISS Hint' DD74-1. nas anchored in Tokyo Bax near thc ISS Mivsoiiri' for the .lapnnesc stirrendei' in Scpteniber I9-15 Wits also aboard the I?SS Hlnt' DIY'-14. in M.mil.t Bas for thc Philippine liitlcpeittlcticc Day on .luls 4. lt?-to it .-tt thc IISS Hint' 151174-1. lrttc in 1946. in lsingtao. t'htn.t.

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CHESTER W. SMITH, USN. born May 11. 1912. Cuyahoga Falls. OH. Joined Navy May 1942, and was sent to the U.S. Navy School of Music, Anacostia. Washington, D.C. for 18 months. Was xylophone soloist with the broadcast band while there. Sent out with a 20 piece band unit on the USS California BB44, which served in the Pacific during WWII. iii gi He soloed with the band which played aboard ship and in port. He ,also operated a radio station, broadcasting throughout the ship and received a Commendation from the captain for morale building. His duties during battle was passing 5 inch powder cans to 5 inch guns. Their ship was hit by the USS Tennessee while in the Pacific and was taken to New Hebrides for repair on a floating dry-dock. They went back to Bremerton, WA, after being hit with a suicide plane. After a month in the States, they went back to the Pacific. When the war was over and after stops in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Ceylon and Capetown, South Africa, they docked in Philadelphia, where the ship was put in mothballs. He was transferred to the Naval Amphibious Base and later to the Naval Training Center in San Diego, CA. The last 18 months of a six-year enlistment, he was with the U.S. Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, MD, and was discharged in March 1948. He and his wife Venus celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1993. They have one married daughter. He was in real estate as a broker for 20 years in Spring Valley, CA, and retired in 1974. He retumed to music professionally and gave mini concerts on Xylophone with piano accompaniment. He still lives in Spring Valley where he have been active in the community, being past president of the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club and am a Presbyterian elder. JOHN T. SMITH, lfc, bom Jan. 12, 1927, in East Pittsburgh, PA. He joined the service March 14, 1944, and served aboard the Caljornia from June 1944, until May 1946. John T. Smith now resides in Rock Creek, OH, after retiring as a locomotive engineer in Pittsburgh. His daughter, two grandchildren and great-grandchild all live in the same locale. f t , Q ?4 4 eq! 7 f 6 W .ia Yff . My .1 W, 2 Z f He was assigned to the llth Division along with a mate named Snyder. Upon arrival only one of them was needed. They drew straws, he drew the short straw and was then sent to the 6th Division. On the morning of the Battle of Manilla they were hit with a suicide, Snyder was killed. That short straw that he drew became a very significant memory of his war time service. On another occasion they were on their way to Peleliu on a morning when they were rammed by a sister ship, the Tennessee. He was on port side and awakened by rivets flying and steel tearing. His sack and lockers among other things were burst loose and thrown about during the hit. By the end of his service with the Califmviiu they had fought six battles. Discharged May 23, 1946. Married in 1959, one daughter, two grandchildren, one greategrandchild. Retired locomotive engineer from U.S. Steel. PAUL EUGENE SIVIITH, Fllc, born Onargh, ll., May 16, 1921. Enlisted Dec. 29, 1941, USN, six years regular, E Division. Service includes three weeks boot camp Great Lakes, to raise from 20 feet of mud, Spring ol 42 USS BB44. Participated in battles on the Golden Bear. Memorable experiences: Stood shaft alley watch back to Washington, where two men were trapped, the 7th and were cut out by Oran Bell Shipfitter. In fall of 1943, to USS DD538 to August 1945 to DD879, Leary to October 1947, Stephen Potter, eight Bronze Stars. Discharged Oct. 31, 1947, with the rank of MMl!c, USNR-R October 1953 - May 1, 1976, MMC. Have one son, Sept. 22, 1949 to June 30, 1985. Married Mary F. Taylor, July 8, 1947, NOB Norfolk, VA. WAYNE E. SMITH, USNR, was born July 10, 1921, in Jefferson, OR. He joined the service Aug. 12, 1942, at the Portland, OR, Navy Recruiting Station. He trained at the Navy Training Station in San Diego, CA, and was then assigned to the USS Calnfornia in Bremerton, WA. He was ship's service man B 2CtTj USNR V-6, officer's barber. One day he was called to the bridge to give the captain a haircut. When he got there he discovered he had forgotten his clippers. The captain was nice about it anyway. Battles he participated in were Saipan, Guam. Tinian. Leyte, Surigao Cwhere she dealt fatal blows to an enemy battle shipj, Lingayen Gulf and Okinawa. His medals are: WWII Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two stars, American Area Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four stars. He was discharged Dec. 16, 1945. In 1947, he married Velma. They have three children Robin, Debra and Terry and two grandchildren, Reuben and Rachel Newport. Smith has been a barber in the same shop for 47 years, Wayne's Barber Shop in St. Johns, Portland, OR. He now works halfdays. In 1991, his shop was used for a Nikon Camera advertisement. He was featured in the December 1991, issue of Life, Esquire. and National Geographic as well as several other magazines. WILLIAM JOE SMITH, Gunner Mate 3rd Class. born Eastland, TX. June 18, 1920. Joined the Navy Aug. 28, 1941, at Abilene, TX. Six weeks boot camp San Diego. CA. Boardcd USS California BB44 Oct. 23, 1941, at Long Beach, CA. Left Oct. 26, 1941, for Pearl Harbor, he was aboard the Prime Barge, when they hit,-just left chow table. A chief said, You heard him, this is no drill! They' scattered like quail for battle stations. They hit them before they got to stations. About a week after December 7th, went aboard the USS A.y'toria heavy cruiser. Went to Coral Sea for 108 days, patrolling before the Coral Sea Battle. During the battle they were doing full speed and doing full right rudder to miss a bomb and a torpedo. USS . l.ylor1'ii, USS l4n'k1on'n into Pearl llarbor. 1 or72 hours. then 0111 to Midway. l'1iat's when USS l'in'ktou'n was stink 'l'he USS fl'iffIfllllf1OiC admiral and staff aboard then to Pear! Haro' then lOfilJL'ttl?1lY.?JIli1l Aug 6 1942 Z Served on: USS Astoria, USS Qttincrd. all her., cruisers. Sent State side to a new ship DD770. Back to sea - Philippine, Leyte, Luzon, and Okinawa. Spent three-foci? of his six years of service actually at sea: Aug. 255. 1911 - Aug. 28, 1947. KENNETH C. SORENSEN, Slfc. born Early. IA.. April 23, 1926. Enlisted fvlay 12, 1943. Navy 6th Diwisifir. NTS Farragut, ID, USS Caljumia. Participated in battles at Marianas, Philippines, Okinawa. Surigao Strait. ' 3. It 1' . X, Memorable experiences include everything from Sept. 7, 1943 until Feb. 12. 1947. when decommissioned. AwardsfMeda1s: American Area Ribbon. Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two stars. Asiatic-Pacific C ampm gn Medal with four stars. WWII Victory' Medal. Good Conduct Medal. Discharged April 21. 1947. with the rank of S1 el Married and has two children and three grmdchildren, Retired. ROBERT DOYLE SPRATT. Slfc. born March 29. 1925, Sommerville. IN. Enlisted May' 26. 19-13. USNR. Sth Division. Service includes NTS Great Lakes. IL. LSS Calyfornia. 'us j s Ayvardsflyledalsz Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Nledal with four stars, American Victory Medal yyith one star. Philippine Liberation Ribbon yyith tyyo stars. Nayy Occupation Medal. WWII Victory Medal. Discharged Dec. 12. 19-15. Memorable experieneei President Rooseyelt died in office on day' scheduled to get their rnairiage license. had to appear before a judge also for yyaiy er for three day waiting period. Met his yyife. lois. an employee of Army Engineers. at .Jefferson Beach, USO. on Faster Sunday ekpril 1, 19-15. Married April 1S. 19-15. .it Xyestintnster Presbyterian Church in Seattle. Been m.irried JS years. Other memory yy as being in lioky o Bay yy hen peace treaty signed. Married. tyy o sons. three gratitldaiighters. one great granddaughter. Nlarricd -lS years to girl l'd knoyy n only 18 days. Retired, Italy cling. yolimteer yy ork, boyy ling ROBERT E. SPR.-X'l l'. Sle. born Xlarelt 29. 1915. Someryille. IN. lfnltsted Xlay 19. 19-13. 11 S Nayy, 1 XS