Lieutenant JG. John Farrell, USN.

[EdMajor1955]

Information was provided by the seller but I don't think the Richard was striking during the Chosin Reservoir or for Incheon, might need to research that part. "This particular jacket is patched to a United States Navy Lieutenant (JG) and is named “John Joseph Farrell 482810 “CV-31”. It also has the ribbon bars this sailor was awarded: Naval Reserve, US Navy Good Conduct, Navy Unit Commendation, American, Campaign, World War ll victory, National Defense, Korean War Service (w/ 2 campaign stars), United Nations Service Korea, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. The owner of this jacket is John Joseph Farrell of Indiana. John was from Indiana and in 1942 through a high school officer program was trained at the famous US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland as a US Navy officer for 2 years. In 1944 John Farrell was commissioned as a US Navy Ensign assigned to the brand new USS Bonhomme Richard. Participating in the final battles of World War ll as part of Task Force 38 off of Okinawa, Farrell was responsible for conducting air strikes on the Japanese. After the war ended in 1945 Farrell continued his service as a US Naval aviator. Serving in Korea again aboard the Bonhomme Richard participating in the battles of Inchon and the Frozen Chosin. After getting discharged from the United States Navy in 1954 he returned to Indiana."

[sigsaye]

4 hours ago, EdMajor1955 said:

Information was provided by the seller but I don't think the Richard was striking during the Chosin Reservoir or for Incheon, might need to research that part. "This particular jacket is patched to a United States Navy Lieutenant (JG) and is named “John Joseph Farrell 482810 “CV-31”. It also has the ribbon bars this sailor was awarded: Naval Reserve, US Navy Good Conduct, Navy Unit Commendation, American, Campaign, World War ll victory, National Defense, Korean War Service (w/ 2 campaign stars), United Nations Service Korea, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. The owner of this jacket is John Joseph Farrell of Indiana. John was from Indiana and in 1942 through a high school officer program was trained at the famous US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland as a US Navy officer for 2 years. In 1944 John Farrell was commissioned as a US Navy Ensign assigned to the brand new USS Bonhomme Richard. Participating in the final battles of World War ll as part of Task Force 38 off of Okinawa, Farrell was responsible for conducting air strikes on the Japanese. After the war ended in 1945 Farrell continued his service as a US Naval aviator. Serving in Korea again aboard the Bonhomme Richard participating in the battles of Inchon and the Frozen Chosin. After getting discharged from the United States Navy in 1954 he returned to Indiana."

The ribbon bar says at least 3 years as Enlisted. The write up says he was academy. Something isn’t right

[sigsaye]

2 hours ago, sigsaye said:

The ribbon bar says at least 3 years as Enlisted. The write up says he was academy. Something isn’t right

He wasn’t enlisted most likely, Enlisted during WW2, then got a commission just in time for Korea. 

[Justin B.]

Also, operational 3rd Fleet service in 1944-45 should be represented by an Asia-Pacific ribbon, with a star for Okinawa.

 

There was a reserve officer training program at Annapolis during the war as well as the regular Academy. If he was enlisted and then went through some kind of officer training that would make sense for the American service medal, but for the GCM I'm not sure if it times out.

[EdMajor1955]

Yeah, I got more questions than answers about this. Seller does have the two research pages off of ancestry but i haven't had a good look at them yet and won't get the uniform till next week.

[EdMajor1955]

Chances are he never served in WW2 and just Korea which at the end of the day is still cool enough to justify the price and brief confusion. I know the ship and it had ribbons on it, pretty good.

[29navy]

I've been looking for him in the Officers Register. Can't find him.

 

I've seen a John J Farrell, Jr. in some muster reports for Officer V-12 and V-5 programs and In the Office of Officer Procurement, in Boston and in South Carolina. But I also see the same guy on a ship USS Cowie (same Service Number. So I don't know if it's him. Can't tie him to Indiana either.

 

Be curious with the muster report sheets in the picture.

 

Why do you always find the guys that can't be found???😁

[29navy]

Do you know how many John J Farrells are on the muster lists?

 

Found one that was V-12 in University of South Carolina from July 1944 to Feb 1946 (he enlisted on March 28, 1942) when his Enlistment was terminated on Feb 19, 1946 and he was to be commissioned commissioned an Ensign on Feb 20, 1946. Which could account for him possibly getting a GCM.

 

Still can't find him in the Officer's Register.

 

 

[EdMajor1955]

It must be my super power I guess, I can say as a fact it is inked to CV-31 inside for some reason which might hold up the story of him serving on it but nothing of him actually taking part in the strikes on Japan.

[EdMajor1955]

Decided to buy the 1951 cruise book for the Bonhomme to see if i can't do some research that way.

[sigsaye]

On 11/25/2024 at 8:40 PM, EdMajor1955 said:

It must be my super power I guess, I can say as a fact it is inked to CV-31 inside for some reason which might hold up the story of him serving on it but nothing of him actually taking part in the strikes on Japan.

If his coat is marked to the ship, he would be ships company, not air group. That should help. 

[EdMajor1955]

Seller said everything he has is from the family so not sure where the story of him being an pilot comes form is he was ships company.

[sigsaye]

23 minutes ago, EdMajor1955 said:

Seller said everything he has is from the family so not sure where the story of him being a pilot comes form is he was ships company.

Lot’s of pilots are Ships Company. They have various jobs within the ship, to support the Air Group. The CO, XO, OPS, just to name a few. 

[EdMajor1955]

I'm just hoping that when I get the uniform in the mail that the muster roll copies glean something from this so we can put this mystery to bed.

[29navy]

On 11/28/2024 at 2:43 PM, EdMajor1955 said:

I'm just hoping that when I get the uniform in the mail that the muster roll copies glean something from this so we can put this mystery to bed.

Looking forward to that. Let us know.

 

[EdMajor1955]

So, the muster rolls didn't show too much info into what led up to him being commissioned outside of serving on the USS Lioba in August and September 1946 and printed out copy from the WWII Memorial Registry.

[29navy]

Interesting. DL -- USNR officer designation for Limited General Service, Deck Duties. Formerly (D)L.

 

Wonder if it is the Farrell that was in the V-12 Unit in South Carolina as I mention before

 

 

[EdMajor1955]

Serves deck duty on the Lioba and I guess attends flight school sometime post-war...maybe.

[29navy]

I looked through the 1951 and 1952 Cruise books of the Bon Homme Richard (on Ancestry). The 1951 book has pictures but no names. The 1952 book has the names with the pictures, but I did not see John Farrell in the pictures, which included the Air Group.

 

Reading the history of the Bon Homme Richard, she was in commission from 1951 - 1953. In 1953 she was back in the states and was decommissioned May 15, 1953 for conversion.

 One of the reasons he doesn't show up on the Officer's register, as a reservist, if he's not on "Active Duty", he wouldn't be listed.  The registers were printed on January 1.  If he was activated after the printing and released before the next printing, he wouldn't show up. 

 

I would agree that since his coat has CV-13 on it, he would be part of ship's company and not part of the air wing, as they would have their Squadron designation rather than the ship's. The Squadrons could change ship at any time.

 

However, the aviation green uniform does add another wrinkle.  Does the Watch Officers Guide have anything written in it that might add anything?

 

Another interesting hunt you have us on.

[29navy]

Found him.  The April 1951 edition of the Officer Register (on Ancestry). Date of Rank for JG is Feb, 20, 1949, Pay Entry base date - March 28, 1942. Designator  1105 - Unrestricted Line officer (Not Aviation) USNR, 

 

 

 

 

From the July 1955 Register:

 

Changed is designator to 1355 - Line Officer, a member of the aeronautical organization who is not  a pilot. Date of Rank for LT is May, 2, 1952.

 

 

From the July 1961 Register. LCDR - on November 1, 1957.

 

 

And another thing, I don't think he was from Indiana; I think he was from New York.

[EdMajor1955]

1355 is Air Intelligence, no? The guide had barely any writing inside of it from whoever owned it.

[29navy]

I would say it would fall into that category. Yes.

 

With these Register entries, I would say this pretty much answers the mail on his ribbons. With the guy I'm tracking in Ancestry, the Indiana thing just doesn't work out. I'll continue to search.