Post your Pearl Harbor Survivor dog tags

[USdog]

I have been looking into my Pearl Harbor tags lately and would enjoy seeing others in the collections of fellow forum members. Please post some guys. I don't think there has been a strictly Pearl Harbor survivors dog tag thread yet. Here are some of mine.

 

Whitcomb was born on 25 June 1921 in Lonoke, Arkansas.

 

He enlisted in the Marine Corps on 11 December 1940. In the summer of 1941, Whitcomb joined the Machine Gun Group of the 3rd Defense Battalion at Pearl Harbor.

 

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on the early hours of 7 December 1941, Whitcomb recalled going to the top of his barracks with other marines and firing his rifle at enemy planes. Sometime during the attack Whitcomb was wounded in action, being hit in the abdomen. He was one of 4 to be WIA in the 3rd Defense Battalion on the fateful day.

 

He later went on to serve on Palmyra Island with the Machine Gun Group before being transferred to the 1st Amphibious Truck Company. Later serving on Saipan, Tinian, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, and Guam with that unit.

 

On 17 December 1946 he was discharged from the Marine Corps.

 

The dog tag has the fingerprint on the reverse and was likely the one he wore during the attack.

[USdog]

Photo of him

[USdog]

Another.

 

Phillips enlisted on 12 March 1940 in the US Navy and went aboard the USS Honolulu (CL-48) before the attack at Pearl Harbor.

 

Below is an account of the attack at Pearl Harbor told by William C. Phillips while aboard the USS Honolulu.

 

"We were in the Navy Yard at Pier 19 for repairs. I had finished my breakfast and was on my way to my locker to dress and go on liberty at 0900 with the intentions of seeing my date in Honolulu. At 0755, general quarters was sounded and officer of the deck says, "This is no drill".

 

I locked my locker and took off as fast as I could to my general quarters station, which was above the bridge on port side, and manned a 50-caliber water-cooled machine gun. My gun boss was a 2nd Lt. in the Marine Corps. The ammo was locked in the ready service locker so he handed me a ball peen hammer to break the lock, to get to the ammo and load the gun. I saw several types of Japanese aircraft flying over and bombing ships. I fired on any enemy plane that my machine gun could reach.

 

When the Arizona was hit with a bomb into the ship and down to the powder magazine, we felt the concussion at our battle station.

 

We had to get fire rooms going and get steam up so we could get underway.

 

Sometime after 0900, a dive-bomber came down at us. I was firing at him as he let his bomb go. It went through the concrete deck and down into the water where it exploded so hard it raised the ship up in the water and we buckled our knees from the force of the explosion.

 

The magazines that were damaged were flooded by the crew as the ship settled by the bow. When the attack ended at 0950, we stayed at our gun watch all day and into the darkness. We were all jumpy and I still have nervous reactions to this date.

 

Several days later after the USS Pennsylvania battleship was moved out of dry-dock, we moved in for repairs. The yard workers cut out the damaged sections and replaced it and all the insides were hooked up. We had unloaded all the ammunition off the ship. We got back out of dry-dock, and provisions were put back on the ship including all the ammo.

 

It was the 16th day of January, 1942 when we left Pearl Harbor for stateside."

[USdog]

Another. USS NEVADA crewman

 

Maguin was born on 5 August 1916 in New Jersey.

 

He joined the US Navy on 12 January 1938. A few months later he went aboard the USS Nevada (BB-36). He was on the same ship for over 3 years until it had been attacked at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. The ship was hit with one torpedo and at least six bombs by the Japanese. The Nevada was forced to be beached.

 

After the attack, Joseph Maguin went aboard the USS Lexington (CV-2). On 7 May 1942, during the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Lexington was hit by Japanese aircraft. Vapors from leaking gasoline tanks sparked a series of explosions and fires that could not be controlled. The Lexington had to be deliberately destroyed to prevent from Japanese capture the next day.

 

For the rest of the war he was on the USS Monticello (AP-61).

[USdog]

USS SOLACE

 

George T. Malley was born on 24 April 1913 in Rochester, New York. He received a B.A. Degree from the University of Rochester, and L.L.B. Degree from Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.

 

He joined the US Navy in 1939 and was later on the USS Solace (AH-5). George Malley survived the attack on Pearl Harbor while on the Solace. His ship took the exact footage of the explosion of the USS Arizona. The ship had helped the Arizona evacuate their wounded from the ship and in the water.

 

He stayed on the USS Solace until after the war on 26 December 1945.

 

A good chance this one was worn during the attack as well

[Brig]

FA Gonzalez II was at Pearl Harbor and later earned a BS w/V at Iwo Jima. The rest of his group can be seen here... http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/77503-fa-gonzalez-ii-wl-lakeburg;-usmc/

[USdog]

Here is a more recent addition from a forum member. Thanks Todd!

 

Manning enlisted in the marines in 1937 and served in Shanghai with the 4th Marines before the war. On the day of the attack at Pearl Harbor, Manning was stationed at the USMC Base at Kaneohe, Oahu. He was on leave at a beach near there when the attack started. After realizing they were enemy planes he raced back to the base for support.

 

Reverse has fingerprint and could likely have been the one he wore during the attack.

[USdog]

FA Gonzalez II was at Pearl Harbor and later earned a BS w/V at Iwo Jima. The rest of his group can be seen here... http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/77503-fa-gonzalez-ii-wl-lakeburg;-usmc/

Awesome group Brig! Looks like that tag could have been worn during the attack as well. Does it have a fingerprint on the reverse?

[Brig]

Awesome group Brig! Looks like that tag could have been worn during the attack as well. Does it have a fingerprint on the reverse?

It does not

[mes]

Connor I'll post my favorite pearl harbor survivor.These are my dad's dog tags and Id. He was aboard the USS Whitney a destroyer tender on that fateful day.

 

[KASTAUFFER]

Another.

 

Phillips enlisted on 12 March 1940 in the US Navy and went aboard the USS Honolulu (CL-48) before the attack at Pearl Harbor.

 

Below is an account of the attack at Pearl Harbor told by William C. Phillips while aboard the USS Honolulu.

 

"We were in the Navy Yard at Pier 19 for repairs. I had finished my breakfast and was on my way to my locker to dress and go on liberty at 0900 with the intentions of seeing my date in Honolulu. At 0755, general quarters was sounded and officer of the deck says, "This is no drill".

 

I locked my locker and took off as fast as I could to my general quarters station, which was above the bridge on port side, and manned a 50-caliber water-cooled machine gun. My gun boss was a 2nd Lt. in the Marine Corps. The ammo was locked in the ready service locker so he handed me a ball peen hammer to break the lock, to get to the ammo and load the gun. I saw several types of Japanese aircraft flying over and bombing ships. I fired on any enemy plane that my machine gun could reach.

 

When the Arizona was hit with a bomb into the ship and down to the powder magazine, we felt the concussion at our battle station.

 

We had to get fire rooms going and get steam up so we could get underway.

 

Sometime after 0900, a dive-bomber came down at us. I was firing at him as he let his bomb go. It went through the concrete deck and down into the water where it exploded so hard it raised the ship up in the water and we buckled our knees from the force of the explosion.

 

The magazines that were damaged were flooded by the crew as the ship settled by the bow. When the attack ended at 0950, we stayed at our gun watch all day and into the darkness. We were all jumpy and I still have nervous reactions to this date.

 

Several days later after the USS Pennsylvania battleship was moved out of dry-dock, we moved in for repairs. The yard workers cut out the damaged sections and replaced it and all the insides were hooked up. We had unloaded all the ammunition off the ship. We got back out of dry-dock, and provisions were put back on the ship including all the ammo.

 

It was the 16th day of January, 1942 when we left Pearl Harbor for stateside."

I never thought I would see these! Bill was a friend of my Father in Law who also served on the Honolulu. I have a bunch of Bill's stuff including his flat hat with a USS Honolulu cap tally. The hat is named to him. I have documents and letters he mailed during the war.

 

Bill lived in Seattle which is where I got all the items I have 25 years ago,

 

You have a very nice collection of tags!

 

Kurt

[USdog]

Thanks Kurt! Wow, that's ironic you have his other stuff, what are the odds?!? I'd be willing to trade it to you for other dog tags to put them where they belong. Just PM me if you're interested. Would love to see the rest of the group as well.

[USdog]

Connor I'll post my favorite pearl harbor survivor.These are my dad's dog tags and Id. He was aboard the USS Whitney a destroyer tender on that fateful day.

 

Mark,

 

Wow! What a treasure to have.... Really nice tags and ID. I'm sure you cherish them as I do of my grandfathers dog tags. Thanks so much for posting.

[Wharfmaster]

Bob served aboard the Cruiser USS San Francisco on 7 Dec. and the early Pacific War battles of 1942.

[USdog]

BTT. Anyone got any more?

[Wharfmaster]

Chief Signalman, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard on 7 December. Later Warrant Bosn.

 

Scarce US Fleet Reserve tag.

 

 

Wharf

[russell moore]

Pretty sure he was there during the attack

[ViewfinderGyrene]

I have been looking into my Pearl Harbor tags lately and would enjoy seeing others in the collections of fellow forum members. Please post some guys. I don't think there has been a strictly Pearl Harbor survivors dog tag thread yet. Here are some of mine.

 

Whitcomb was born on 25 June 1921 in Lonoke, Arkansas.

 

He enlisted in the Marine Corps on 11 December 1940. In the summer of 1941, Whitcomb joined the Machine Gun Group of the 3rd Defense Battalion at Pearl Harbor.

 

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on the early hours of 7 December 1941, Whitcomb recalled going to the top of his barracks with other marines and firing his rifle at enemy planes. Sometime during the attack Whitcomb was wounded in action, being hit in the abdomen. He was one of 4 to be WIA in the 3rd Defense Battalion on the fateful day.

 

He later went on to serve on Palmyra Island with the Machine Gun Group before being transferred to the 1st Amphibious Truck Company. Later serving on Saipan, Tinian, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, and Guam with that unit.

 

On 17 December 1946 he was discharged from the Marine Corps.

 

The dog tag has the fingerprint on the reverse and was likely the one he wore during the attack.

 

 

FA Gonzalez II was at Pearl Harbor and later earned a BS w/V at Iwo Jima. The rest of his group can be seen here... http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/77503-fa-gonzalez-ii-wl-lakeburg;-usmc/

 

Always love seeing these, gents

[airborne53]

hello

korea era dog tag but Robert L Evans served aboard USS St Louis , marine detachement

 

[airborne53]

 

information about uss StLouis (source wikipedia )

 

olivier

[m151mp]

my wife's late father was Pearl Harbor survivor. there is one of his dog tags in the case with his flag. his tag has a relative's address on it, along with the usual info. was this common then?

[USdog]

Yes it was a common practice, early in the war Army type tags would have next of kin address on it and was discontinued in 1943.

[USdog]

Here's another addition. I made a post already but thought I'd add it here. It's a custom tag made off a Morgan dollar.

 

History on the veteran.

 

​Sanford A. Garrett was born on June 9, 1920.

 

He enlisted in the US Army on November 13, 1936 and saw service in Panama before going to Hickam Field at Pearl Harbor with the 259th QM assigned to the 7th Bomber Command. He arrived there from the USS Pyro on October 29, 1940.

 

He was present during the attack on December 7th. Below is an account of a buddy who was with him during the attack...

 

The first planes I saw were skimming at rooftop level over our barracks. We could clearly see the rising sun on their wings. The pilots and gunners could be seen looking around. I couldnt believe that we were being assaulted so far from Japan! An Air Force, middle-aged Sergeant came running toward us shouting for us to take cover and hollering out that he was in World War I and knew what he was talking about. He cried out, Were at War! Were at War!

 

The men began to disperse. I made a run for the supply room about 10 yards behind the barracks. Sgt. Owen, the Supply Sergeant, slept inside and he was ready to issue equipment, dressed in his underwear. I was first in line to check-out one of the dozen or so Springfield rifles. Owen passed me a rifle, steel helmet, and a bandolier of 30 caliber ammunition. John Strickland and Sanford Garrett were also waiting for a weapon. Both of these men had previous infantry service in Panama. As I started to rush out into the melee, Owen called me back and ordered that I read off the serial number of the rifle before getting out. I felt insecure inside the wooden building, not being able to see the planes coming to take evasive action. We had been training to obey orders so we had no choice but to give serial numbers while expecting to be blown to bits any minute.

 

Strickland and Garrett were right along the side of me as we ran outside, where I made an alarming discovery I did not know how to load the rifle!

 

As an electrician, I had been trained to use a 45 pistol. I had the bolt back trying to load without success. I shouted to Garrett and Strickland to help me. By now machine gun bullets were slamming into the area; jagged bomb shrapnel was falling all around us. As I put my helmet on, Strickland held my rifle while Garrett showed me how to force the clip of bullets into the magazine. Two years in the Army and I couldnt load a Springfield! Although I was reared with rifles and shotguns and fancied myself a crack shot, I simply didnt know how to get the rounds in the magazine. Im sure my lesson on the Springfield was the quickest in military history. Targets were everywhere by now. I leveled at a banking Japanese plane, leading him like I had done quail many times in the field at home. The rifle jumped as the high-powered shell exploded and went after the Japanese plane. I quickly got off the first clip of five rounds. By now Strickland and Garrett had loaded and three of us kept up steady firing on the planes. How much good we did will never be known, but we had the satisfaction of fighting back.

 

I saw the planes strafing and bombing the base. I saw them strafing people who were on the roads. The planes would swoop down so low we could see the pilots goggles.

 

William F. Rudder Sr.

 

Garrett served the rest of the war and at the end of the war was Master Sergeant. He re-enlisted in 1945 and served until 1953 with the Air Force.

[Gator]

Not yet in my hands but it is on it's way and I am very glad as it fills a hole in my collection. Very preliminary research has revealed the following. More to come and this actually ties into my query about anyone with a University of North Texas contact as he did an oral interview in 1974 in reference to his experience on the USS Maryland on December 7th!

 

The exert is from Target Pearl Harbor by Michael Slackman and is being posted for educational purposes.

 

 

Regards

 

Mark

[muddyboots]

Here is the tag to John W McKenzie who served at Mag-21's Marine Airbase at Ewa, Oahu T.H. which is just slightly south west of Pearl Harbor. From what I have read they were attack five minutes before Pearl Harbor because a lot of the Japanese aircraft had taken a circular position just south of the Marine base at Ewa. From that position they attacked and destroyed Marine aircraft and other phasilites at the base while others were heading to Pearl Harbor. During the attack on Pearl Harbor the Ewa base was attacked of and on till the attack was done. He was a CPHM (AA) during the attack