California (BB 44) - Naval Cruise Book

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X111 Bl R lf. NTOLTNF. XMM 311 ISN. born April 9. 193 '. tu St Paul. MN. brit inovcd with his parents to a .irui near t.mnoir1'.ills. in 1918 linlistcd ut thc Navv at Nliimcapolis Xpril 19. l9.iS. vvith rccrttit training at NTS Great 1 alvcs. ll .Iss h ix Reported aboard the CSS Crilifiuvirtr BB-14. Atig. 20. 2935. assigned to the 5th Division. A transfer to the V- Div rsion Av ration. June 26. 1939. including duty at NAS San Pedro. Terminal Island. vs hen ship's aircraft based Lhere. On March 29. 19-10. as a sea llc was accepted for Flrght School. Detached March 20. 19-11. with orders to NAS Pensacola. FL. Graduated as a Naval Aviation Pilot vs ith rating of AMM3,fc NAP. Oct. 27. 1941, receiving his rv ings from Capt. A.C. Read. the first pilot to fly across the Atlantic in 1919. December 26. 1941. reported to VP-21. at Pearl Harbor. February 7. 1942. transferred to NAS Puunene. Maui. T.H. with temporary duty with VJ-3. Rated CAP on Dec. 1. 19-12. and commissioned LTtJGlon May 15, 1943. Subsequent duties: BAMRtED1 Norfolk, NAS Norfolk, YA. YR-3 Patuxent River. MD. VR-8 in Germany with Berlin Air Lift. Completed 117 trips to Berlin. VR-8 Hickam Field. TH.. TCC ComPacDivMats T.H. NAS Pensacola. FL. YP-10 Brunswick. ME, VR-24 Port Lyautey -Kenitrai. Morocco. Decorations: Air Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one star, National Defense Service Medal. American Campaign Medal, Navy Occupation Medal with Air Lift Device. American Defense Service Medal. Medal for Humane Action, WWII Victory Medal. Retired as lieutenant commander June 1, 1958, after 20 years service. Qualified in 26 different military aircraft us ith total of 7705 flight hours. ARTHUR B. NIONTAGNE, born Oct. 19, 1920, enlisted in the Navy on Sept. 8. 1939. He attended recruit :raining at Great Lakes and completed radio school at San Diego. He reported aboard the USS Calnfornia for duty in the radio division in February 1940. As a proud veteran of the battleship Navy. he can list several of the many memories he has of his time on the Prune Barge. 1 As a seaman. he experienced the pride and fatigue of pzhrczpatrng in the pulling-whaleboat races down battleship rf 1. while the battleships swung at anchor in Long Beach Harbor He recalls as a RM3C standing radio watch on the fag bridge he could look down and watch the ship's bow 2.7. 'leep inte the waves and scoop water across 1116 1100148 ,fire steaming through a Pacific storm. lt was then that 'r.xCf1r'iff,rnra could with minimum roll and strong pitch 'lf. .'iV.'s11'Z1C her massive strength as she plowed through ff TCE 7 F6812 Later. as a RV12f' on the flag bridge on Dec 7. 1941. iagri compare this seaworihy strength ol the ffrzliforrim ter iarnentable heaving and shudrlering when sbt WHS 'f ,gy ,, .fr t mi torpedoes and a bomb when attacked while f flf -,ngfjry ir, 5 fvriraretrf pier at Pearl Harbor. lie rigr his feeling of frustration and sense ol rage as ,,1,',rg5 their f,ouririefl and dying shipiriates oil the l'rurrf- liarpe wrtriout haxrriu any rrfa1opp'tV1U't1'Y to use their superb training to employ their ship and repel the ciiciuy attack ln lfcltrtiary 1942. hc was transferred from thc Pacific lflccl lleadquartcrs at the Submarine Base. Pearl Harbor, to thc USS Neil' illvtrro where as a RMIC. he served on the communication staff of Commander Task Force One in thc Central and South Pacific Theater of Operations. ln May 1943. he vt as transferred to thc Navy V-12!NROTC Officers Training Program. Upon completion of the NROTC Program at the University of New Mexico in June 1945. hc was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. ln May 1946. he was integrated from the Reserve to the Regular U.S. Marine Corps. ln 1950-51. he served ll months with the First Marine Division in combat in Korea. As a platoon leader with a Marine Infantry Battalion, he earned four battle stars, the Presidential Unit Citation and in June 1951, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V for action against the North Koreans. He served at various Marine Corps posts and stations until he retired as Major. U.S. Marine Corps on Oct. 1. 1959. He spent the next 25 years engaged as a civil engineer in construction management. He retired in 1985, after serving for seven years as construction director on a large construction project in Saudi Arabia. JOHN K. MONTGOMERY, Sllc, bom Baltimore, MD. Aug. 20, 1925. Enlisted Oct. 9, 1943, USNR, 3rd Division CGun Crewl. Service included Great Lakes, ILg Camp Green Bay, Bremerton Navy Yard, WAQ battles: Guam, Saipan, Tinian, Leyte Gulf, Surigao Strait, Kossol Passage. Memorable experiences included crossing ofEquator in Pacific, Indiana and Atlantic Oceans. Awards!Meda1s: Good Conduct Medal with one star. Pacific Theater, Philippine Liberation Ribbon. Discharged Dec. 17, 1945, with the rank of GM 3!c. Married March 22. 1945, two daughters. Sharon and Constance. Retired, living in Baltimore, MD. THOMAS K. MOORE, Seaman Radioman. born Wapanucka, OK, May 30, 1921. Enlisted January 1941. sent to San Diego for recruit training and radio school in August 1941 sent to serve aboard USS Calihirnia assigned to CR Division on Dec. 7. 1941. Had just completed 12-8 watch in Radio 1. was getting ready for breakfast when first torpedo hit them and shortly thereafter general quarters were sounded. went to his battle station on the bridge. Oklalmma was already capsized, all their transmitting equipment was out. all they had was intercom. not much they could do except watch, saw the USS Nevada bombed as she passed on Port Berv. the only battleship to get underway and was sunk nearby, but tug got her out of main channel before she sank. Swain to Ford Island after abandon ship was sounded, assigned to submarine base and Makalapa Radio Station. for sometime later was assigned to USS New Mexico in ComBatFor flag allowance. ff ,, 'WT f M 17 One interesting event was that he had just recently been assigned to the topside radio station, before that was at general quarter station on third deck below in transmitter room where all hands were lost. He was assigned to t'omBatFor llag allowance and served aboard seven other battleships as part of ComBatPac, flag allowance serving in all island campaigns up to occupation of lwo Jima, had shore duty from August 1945, till discharged in 1947 at the end of six year hitch. AwardsfMeda1s: WWII Victory Medal, American Medal. Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Pearl Harbor Commendation Medal. American Defense Service Medal with one star. four bronze stars. Good Conduct Medal. Discharged January 1947, with the rank of RM2!c. Married Pearl Copen 1945, one son. one granddaughter, two great-grandchildren. Retired construction worker. WILLIAM E. MORGAN, USN, was born on Aug. 28, 1917, in Lampasas, TX. Hejoined the Navy on Sept. 4, 1940, in Austin, TX. He trained at the San Diego Naval Training Center and was then assigned to the USS Caljornia in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. While on the USS Calnfornia, he served in the Gunnery Department Division 4, as a seaman and retired as a chief boatswains mate. He earned the following medals while serving his country: WWII Victory Medal, American Area Campaign Medal, Asiatic Area Campaign Medal and Good Conduct Medal with three stars. gfngwff I f 5 , . In 1952, he married Sallie Gillespie. They have five children. Jack, Skipper, Chad and twins. Judith and Zaundra. They have six grandchildren. He is currently residing in Seguin. TX. with his wife. THOMAS REDMOND MORRIS. Gunners Mate 3rd Class, born Hope. MD. Dec. 31. 1921. Enlisted September 1940. U.S. Navy. GM3rd Class. gun captain of 3 inch anti-aircraft gun. Service includes Norfolk Training Station and Pearl Harbor Dec. 7. 1941. W :W 3 f , , f G 'f 7 Memorable experiences were on USS Calnfornia that moming. December 7. wounded. carried to hospital by truck. Awards!Medals: WWII Victory Medal, Pacific Theater Medal with one star. and Purple Heart. Discharged June 1942. Married Sarah Luella Stufft, one daughter Helen Patricia Morris. Retired. THEODORE LOWELL MOX, Fireman lst Class, 11,4 499' 91

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Joined USN Reserve as aviation machinist mate llc on Oct. 22, 1942. Took t'Shop Training at San Diego for six weeks. Ended up in Aviation repair and overhaul CAROU Navy 1401 Espintu Santo in the New Hebredes for two years. Returned to Terminal Island, CA, where he was discharged Sept. 20, 1945. He then retumed to North Carolina, Joined Army Air Force in October 1949. Assigned to 1266 AT SQ l500th AT Group at Travis AFB, CA. Outfit was moved to Hickam AFB, HI, November 1949. In December 1949, they were all discharged from the Army and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force which had just been formed. In 1952, had to take a hardship discharge. First wife expired in 1952. Married second wife Violet Underwood in 1962. Reinstated in Air Force February 1953, as Buck Sgt. at Hickam AFB March 1962. Received orders for duty at Cannon AFB, NM, where he was promoted to SMXSGT. Received retirement discharge in July 1964, with 24 years of service. Held every enlisted pay grade in the Navy. Pay grades in Air Force E4 through E8 CE5 and E6 two timesj. WILLIAM H. MILLIGAN, USN, born March 25, 1923, Riverside, CA. Joined Navy, Aug. 14, 1941. After Boot Camp, at Santa Ana, CA, transferred to schools command and was there when the war broke out, after school, transferred to Pearl Harbor and eventually to the USS Calgfornia on March 25, 1942. Assisted in raising the Calnfornia and returned to the states aboard her. Was again transferred to Welding School after the battle of Leyte. Received orders to assist in commissioning the USS Tarawa CV40, after completing advanced welding school, in San Diego, CA. Milligan has served on the following ships during a 20 years career. In addition to the USS Calnfornia BB44 and USS Tarawa CV40, the USS Tolvana AO64, and USS Towakoni ATF1l4, and the USS Platte AO24, from which he retired on March 14, 1961, as a chief shipfitter. S' ,X 'af I X 'fi isa , 'r-W'- mt..-.. '. M N . Ss,' y ly , - 5, .. 'Q i 'V Q gi W A YM E: W ,rr P e . 5 Milligan received his teaching credential in 1966 and taught in the secondary schools for 12 years. Finally retiring from civic service as a plannerfestimator after 10 additional years. Milligan has been married to the former Ruby Reynolds for 45 years, no children. RAYMON ORVEL MILLS, Slfc, USN, born May 7, 1926, Marseilles, IL. Joined the Navy, July 14, 1943, 4? 3rd Division. Basie training at Great Lakes. ll.. assigned from basic to Bremerton, WA, lor 445 weeks belore being assigned to USS California. Stayed with the ship till discharged. 1..el't Bremerton, .lan. 31, 1944, lor Pearl llarbor. Took part in the capture ol' Saipan, Tinian, Guam, also the Marianas Turkey Shoot, June 14 toAug. 9, 1944. Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines and Surigao Strait, Oct. 24- 26, 1944. Where a Japanese battleship was sunk by them in a great night sea battle, Jan. 4-18, 1945, Battle ol' the Lingayen Gulf, in the China Sea, off the Coast ol' Luzon. On Jan. 6, 1945, Japanese kamikaze crashed into the main structure and 203 causalitics resulted. One ofthe toughest battles. February 14, 1945, back to Bremerton for repairs. Sept. 22, 1945, arrived at Wakayama, Japan, to support the landing operations. Remained there till Oct. 5, 1945. Sailed toward home via Singapore, Colombo, Capetown, South Africa, to arrive in Philadelphia, Dec. 7, 1945. The 4th Anniversary ofPear1 Harbor. Discharged on March 7, 1946, Married in 1948, and celebrated 45th Anniversary in 1993, Have three daughters, nine grandchildren, also great- grandchildren. Youngest daughter served in the Navy for six years. Retired in 1985. Live in Illinois and Arizona. Member of the USS California Reunion Association. 'fMission Accomplished, Job Well Done. GERALD W. MINION, AS to YN1, born Humboldt, IA, Aug. 23, 1921. Enlisted Jan. 25, 1939. USS Caljornia, May 1939, yeoman in gunnery office, December 7th was captain's writer in Battle Two, USS Saratoga February 1943 to June 1943, New Construction USS Sioux ATF75, in South Pacific until April 1944. Commissioned ensign and transferred to Amphib Training Base, Coronado, CA, until mid-1947, USS Skagit AKAl05, until July 1949. Participated in Barex 48 as beachmaster communicator. NavCommSta Pearl to September 1952, NavCommSta Guam to July 1954, Aide and Flag Secretary CTF-95 Sasebo, Japan to February 1955, Staff ComNavFE Yokosuka to July 1957, Staff COM-9 Great Lakes to February 1959, and retirement as LCDR. Married to same wonderful woman since June 1941, two daughters and two sons. In banking in Illinois from February 1959 to June 1988. Now fully retired in Lake Lure, North Carolina. RALPH F. MISPAGEL, GM3!c, born O'Fallon, MO. Enlisted Oct. 3, 1942, Navy, 2nd Division, USS California. Service included Great Lakes, IL, Quanica, VA, San Diego, CA, Bremerton, WA. Participated in the following battles Philippine Liberation, Leyte Gulf, Luzon, Surigao Strait Sea Battle, sank Fusa class battleship. Awards!Medals: seven battle stars, Presidential Unit Citation. Discharged Dec. 12, 1945. Married Feb. 28, 1945, to Olga Cecelia. have one 8011. four grandchildren, Veronica, Ralph 111, Gregory' and Kerri, two great-grandsons, Brendan lvlichael and James Robert Davis. Retired Chicago, ll., Police O1't'iet-tg ntyyt rt police commissioner in Waterloo, ll.. BOB 1VllTCltlItll.l., tt-um Tacotna, WA, reported .tlyoard llllgj lfs'-1 fulljorrtm in l-.ty - f lllflll 'ulttf '-nit'-. tri tlty' 'SUCV ' I R LN R tn Hrerrtertyin WA J1tt,.t was 17 and filtllhlf Sharrnan was 18. '1 hey became stgnalmen striker'-4 made Slfe, got oil and on a shit list or two, had lots ol good liberties, drank gallons ol bad collee and missed their , i high-school sweethearts. They left the California about a week after Pearl Harbor for the CSS Portland Following the Coral Sea and battie of N1:d hay. vi, .- Asif ., ty ,,, was transferred to the USS Arianza. He was in' ' ' ry on the bridge to survive her sinking during Guadalcanal. After nine months and sezerr. went aboard the CSS Halford, where he inwrrerr as a COM, Sharman was transferred from the CSS Farrar the USS Crescent City, then to Lunga Pt. signal to' Guadalcanal, subsequently to CSS Win laikenberg t the war as SM1!c in Pearl Harbor as an instr ir signaling school. Bob and Stella Mitchell liye in Pon Ieadlm., Vyfq, and Sun City, AZ. They have three children: Torn. Jirr. ang Cindy. Sharman lives here and there and has three s Mitch, Bill and Dave. CHESTER ARTHUR MITCHELL. CSX. Radioman 3C, born Dec. 2. 1902. in Pittsburg. KS. Chester grew up in Northern Missouri and later moved to Denner. CO. On Dec. 2, 1920, hejoined the Navy as an apprentice seaman. He was sent to the US. Naval Training Station San Francisco, CA. Then he went to US. Receiving Ship. Mare Island for instruction as a radio operator. He reported aboard the USS Caihfornia in September 1921. as a se-cone class Seaman and was rated radioman 3rd class by exam on Oct. 1. 1922. He was on board for a training craise that went to Panama, Balboa Canal Zone in 1923. During this trip secretary of the Navy Denby' and the President Cf Panama came on board. The Calnfomia made a stop in Port Culebra, Costa Rica. on Feb. 23. 1923. The ship then made a trip to Seattle and the ships band marched in the Juiy 4 parade. While there. Chester and many' of the rest of the communications detachment went ashore near Seattle ze install a portable radio station. Part ofthat original creyy' yvas a California Black beat and a stnall terrier dog. They' seeni to hay e been great friends and had the run of the ship. The bear yy as knoyy n to -iutnp overboard and go fora syyint. The ship yy ould hay e to stop and put a boat over the side to rescue the bear. After tnany problems. the bear yyas put in ri zoo in Los Angeles or San Diego. Chester yvas discharged on Dec, 1. 1923. in San Pedro. CA. After living in Cirlifitrrtnr for tnttny years. he returned to Missouri to marry Mabel NlcL.iugh1in in 1933. Nlabei had tyvo children Dolores and Russell. ln 1938. they ntoy ed to Calitiotnia and Chester yy orked on .1 dairy near Grass Valley. They moved to Dixon in 19-10. .ind yy lien yyyy 11 broke out in 19-11. Chester yy ent to yy ork at Nlare lslano naval sliipyard as a rigging t'orent.tn. lle helped build .ind launch tnany submarines used during the yy.ir -Xtitet the yvar. he yyent to yy ork tor Pacific Gas .ind lflcctrie tfntil retiretnent in 1967. 'X son, John. born tn 1947, yy,is also nt the Navy and yvris .t creyy tnentbero1i1'SS 1'st.rhf.'. C.tpttnetE by the North Koreans in 1968. he spent 11 tnonths .ts .t POW. Chester had tn.tny good years oticatnptng .ind iitsltlitg and yy as blessed yy ith good he.t1th until his 911th brrt1y.1.ty lle had sey en grandclnldren .uid 1 1 great gt'.ttn1e1ntt1t.'-t lle iltctl U11 Xprtl ff. 100.5

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born Dayton, OH. Feb. 26. 1925. Enlisted May 19, 1943 - Feb. 17. 1946, U.S. Navy, M Division. Battles participated in include Saipan. Guam, Tinian, Philippines, Leyte and the Battle of Surigao Strait and Okinawa. Memorable experiences: le was in sickbay when sister ship Tennessee steering went out and she rammed them, I saw her bow come through and I got out of there fast. Discharged Feb. 17, 1946. Married Betty J. McNinch had two sons Donald A. and Jeffrey L., each had two daughters went back to GM, became a model maker and a tool and die maker. Retired with 34 years service. WILLIAM E. MULLANE, was born April 17, 1925, Brooklyn, NY. Served from April 6, 1943-April 6, 1946. Went to boot camp at Great Lakes, IL and Electrical School at Great Lakes, IL. Assigned to the USS Calgfornia from October 1943-April 1946. ' .what He was discharged at Lido Beach, Long Island, NY and served in the Reserves from May 16, 1947-May 1, 1952. Worked as an electrician for Western Electric in New York City. Was lab technician for Induction Heating Corp., Brooklyn, NY and lab director for Taylor Winfield Corp., Warren, OH. He retired May 1, 1990. Married Adelaide T. Petrik on June 4, 19523 they have three children: William, James and Daniel. GEORGE SAMUEL MURRAY, born in Oakland, CA, on April 19, 1917. Went to the public schools in Long Beach, CA, and on into the U.S. Marine Corps, on July 24, 1934, after finishing Boot Camp in San Diego, it was on to what at that time was known as the Destroyer Base, where row after row of old four stack destroyers were berthed. On Marine Corps Birthday, Nov. 10, 1934, was assigned to USS Calyfornia BB44. Two years later, back to San Diego and the FMF, on to China with the 6th Marines and upon re-enlistment, guess what, it was back to sea and again coming home to the Prune Barge. Two more years and a lot of water under the keel, found him on Recruiting Duty in Long Beach. Promoted to lst Sgt. and a short stay at the ammo depot in Hawthorne, NV, led to one of the most memorable tours of duty a person can have, was assigned to the Staff of Admiral Nimitz and an assignment as the Fleet Sergeant Major and duties in the War Plans Section. Next stop along the way was the Okinawa Operation and from too many different posts and stations to relate. He was fortunate enough to be commissioned in 1952, and was placed on the Retired List Aug. 1, 1964, with the rank of captain. He was married in May 1941, and during the next 44 years was blessed with three great daughters and seven grandchildren. After the death of his wife in November 1985, he became very active in Masonic activities and some three years later was married to a great lady, Jeannette, and the two ol' them have served as matron and patron of their Eastern Star Chapter. LOUIS H. MURRAY, BM 2nd Class, born Oct. 10. 1897. Enlisted Cass Lake, MN, Navy 2nd Division, Long Beach, CA, 1932-37. Enlisted Feb. 27, 1919 and was discharged in 1949. ROBERT E. MURRAY, GM 3fc, USNR, born Sept. 9, 1925, at Chicago, IL. Entered the Navy June 3, 1943, at Great Lakes, IL. Shipped to Bremerton, WA, and assigned to the USS Culyfornia Ts 9th Division tstarboard 40MM anti- aircraft batteryj. , a 1 Z Z7 ff , 1 aka . . ,f . . f 4 f . f . Mg .1 Z w. aa. X . ,WZ ,,,,,.,,.. ,, . .. f 2' nf Wartime service includes all battles BB44, participated in following its return to the fleet in 1944. His ribbons and battlestars reflect that time period. Discharged at Great Lakes on Feb. 19, 1946, he retumed to Chicago found employment with Illinois Bell Telephone Company and married his wife Janet. Together they raised eight children and presently have 19 grandchildren. After 39 years employment at the phone company, Bob retired in 1984. He and Janet like to Elderhostel, go birding and attend legitimate theater. ,JIM V. NAPOLITANO, bom Chicago, IL, July 22, 1925. Enlisted in the Navy sometime in 1943. Discharged in either 1945 or 1946. He and his wife Beverly have a son Jim and a daughter Cindy. Their son has two children, Stewart and Krista. Napolitano died Oct. 20, 1987. FRANK E. NEAL, CDR, Ret., born Nanson, Elk County, PA, April 9, 1910. Enlisted U.S. Navy March 6, 1932, at Pittsburgh, PA, classification: GM, Division 5. He saw action at Pearl Harbor, Pelileu, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Took a shrapnel wound in the arm while serving on the Calnfornia at Pearl Harbor, transferred to Johnson Island naval air station, and later Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, and Terminal Island, CA, before being transferred to the USS Idaho in 1944. W. ,.. I ' J f ..,. 2 V i 3... X If . . 41. He served on the USS Idaho until he helped decommission her at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. He retired 1962. The members of his immediate family are deceased. Today he engages in both vegetable and flower gardening. EARL E. NEHL, CWO4, A-S Division. USN tRet.J. born June 29, 1916, at Watauga, SD. Joined the service Nov. 15, 1938. Went through NTC, Great Lakes. IL. upon leaving NTC, in February 1939, transfened to RIS Nobnor, VA. Reported aboard the USS California BB44 at Norfolk, VA, was aboard the battleship until the summer of 1941. while at Bremerton, WA, was transferrecl to USS Spirit AKI6 as a SK 2!c, then February 1943. was appointed warrant pay clerk and transterred to the USS l 21rmir1AGP- 5, a MTB tender as their disbursing otl'icet'. The lflirinm was at Eniirau in the Southwest Pacific area going to Hollandia, New Guinea coast, Wakde Island. Bink lsland, Green Island. Rendova, Bougainville, Mios Woendi, Morotai, in the l-laltnaheras on to Sainar and lseyte Gull in the Philippines. and ended the war at Balikpapan. Borneo. By this time was appointed commissioned it arrant olfieer. Returned to the USA in March 1946, lelt the regular Navy andtransferretltoSSOD-1.141 sltips supply oltieet dit iston then Lll's.DIJI'illI2gI1llIf,Cl' ul a 309 lighter'-.ti'iaflF':r1 ff' Point. Seattle Retired lane 29 1176 trwnf 'ne Service. , . . 'ft W f f Awardsflvledalsz American Defense Ser-.ice N1 with one star, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one six Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medals with six stare. V'!'ff Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medals with one star Married Jane Nehl. and have children Tim Marty, Roy and Nancy. ROBERT NEHL, joined the Navy in 1936 and ser. tl on board from 1937 until early 1941. when h' 'ff transferred to the USS Ariole. In the late 1930s, three brothers from the community ofWatauga, SD, served onboard the USS Ca!U'0rnia. John Nehl joined the Navy in January 1938.After I boot camp, he joined his 41,41 brother Robert on the USS Calqfornia. He was on board when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. When the CLIZJOFHIU was sunk, he was picked up by the USS Tangier as it got underway during the attack. Earl Nehl joined the Navy in November 1938. and after boot campjoined Robert and John in February 1939. He was transferred to the USS Spica in late 19-ll when :he Calgfornia was in the Bremerton Navy Yard. Robert still resides in Watauga. John passed away f August 1987, and Earl lives in Edmonds. WA. ERNEST J. NELSON. born Prince Albert. Canada. Sept. 22, 1920. Joined Navy Oct. 12. 1937. Boot Camp NTS Great Lakes. IL. ,.,1.,,..-----I-' Reported aboard USS Culirkvrniti February 1938. ADRaft of one Bro. aboard. assigned lst Division. Was on boxing squad and lst Division pulling xvhale boat. Did .1 wee bit in helping to win their lron Man for the ship in sports in 1939. He has a medal for it. Was seantan lfc. Dee. 7. 19-ll. sea duty station heltnsntan. Cleaning station coxswain No. 1. motor launch. gunnery station gun captain right gun turret No. 1 Was comtnended for Meritorious Service Dee. 7. 19-11. Was rated coxswain for it. Was trattsteiretl to ISS llifsl lirgiriiti BB48. after training soldiers to take over 5 inch .25 AA guns. Battles: Pearl llarbor. Leyte Gulf. l ingayett Gull Surigao Strait. lit o Jima, Okinaxx .t. blade ehiet' bos'ns lltdlt' 19-1-1. Retired after 10 years in 1957. Nou' living in Stockton. U.-X. -Xettxe in Pearl llarbor. Sur. Mother l ode tltapter In l'SS t'.z.'.'t.v'-:..: BB-14 Reunions. ROBERT A. NELSON, born Sept. Stl. 1920 liutisieo Sept. ff. 19-ll, Naxy.l'SSt'.1lifQ 'mtiS lloisiou Sei x ire i - , ' '. Y . . . s int ludt d San Diego. luntagut. lieastue lsland. lwreittertoo f f 9 .4 Y j 4 f W