Jump to content

"Salvaged from the USS Arizona" - Incredible Piece of History


KASTAUFFER
 Share

Recommended Posts

Just to add to this theme regarding the Pearl Harbor attack and in particular the USS Arizonia - I have mentioned several times on this forum that I live in a small town in Maine that sacrificed an incredible loss of life during the Second World War ( and also during the Civil War and World War I ) ! With 33 deaths during WW II, my home town must have been in perpetual mourning and gave at least one of its sons in nearly every major battle of the conflict. On that infamous Sunday morning in December, a Skowhegan, Maine sailor was on board the USS Arizonia and was serving as the Navigational Officer. LtCmdr John E. French, a 1922 graduate of the Naval Academy in Anapolis (the famous Adm Hyman Rickover was in that graduating class) was killed when an exposion catapulted his body into the water. Later that week French's body was fished from the harbor and now his remains are buried at Arlington, not too far from Audie's Murphy's grave site. The naval officer's family including his wife and son were living in California at the time of his death so his name is credited to that state, but French was born here in Maine and became the second KIA of the 33 mentioned from this town. Our first casualty occurred 19 Nov 41 ( more than two weeks before Pearl ) when a Skowhegan boy lost his life during joint military maneuvers near Peachland, NC when a head injury caused by this soldier's rifle took his life. Skowhegan's sacrifice came very early in World War II. John Edmund French had served in the US Navy during WW I and received the Victory Medal with the rare Asiatic bar. In memory of this Maine hero, I always asked people whom I knew were going to visit Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to look for French's name on the roster of men killed on the Arizona that December morning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kurt:

 

A very poignant story to say the least -- history like this must be preserved and shared for future generations of Americans who will be too far removed from the war to make it a personal experience. Tisdale's story and the artifacts make his story and his life very real. Thank you for sharing.

 

Best regards,

 

Ed

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
clippership77

Thanks so much for sharing this. A truly priceless group. Let us never forget Roosevelt's assurance that the "American people will through their righteous might win through to absolute victory... With confidence in our armed forces-with the unbounded determination of our people-we will gain the inevitable triumph-so help us God."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kurt, I doubt there are many items as historic as your CSC book. Holding an item in your hand that actually went down with the USS ARIZONA is simply awesome!!!! Really appreciate you sharing this with us.

 

Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...
  • 11 months later...
  • 2 years later...
  • 3 months later...
  • 8 months later...
  • 1 year later...
  • 1 year later...
  • 11 months later...
  • 1 year later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...