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Upon graduation, Don received "Proceed Immediately" orders to U.S.S. SARATOGA (CV-3) so that he could wait two weeks for the ship to return to San Diego from deployment in the Hawaiian area. He was assigned to the engineering department where he served as division officer, engineering officer of the watch and stability control officer. He received orders to flight training in August, 1942, and reported to Pensacola in November, 1942. Don completed flight training at Green Cove Springs in June, 1943, and after checking out in carrier landings on a "Paddle Wheeler" in the Great Lakes, he spent the next year as a fighter pilot instructor at Green Cove Springs, Florida.
His next assignment was to commission VC-71, at Seattle, Washington, in the Fall of 1944, as acting CO, then XO, then permanent CO VC-71. VC-71 was a composite squadron attached to USS MANILA BAY, a "Jeep" carrier. At war's end, Don was ordered to USS MIDWAY (CVB-41) as assistant air officer, and a year later attended the Navy Postgraduate School at Annapolis, Maryland (1946-1948) as an aeronautical engineering student.
In the Fall of 1948, he commissioned VF-173 as CO. VF-173 was followed by the Marine Corps Schools in Quantico, Virginia, where an automobile accident required hospitalization at Annapolis, Maryland, for eight months. The 1950-1953 period was spent at Pensacola, Florida area as Preflight School Instructor, formation of a plane captain's school, and helicopter training. The years 1953-1954 were spent as Executive Officer of FASRON 118, Guam, followed by duty in VR-31, (an aircraft Ferry squadron, in Norfolk, Virginia,) where he was honorably discharged in 1955, and immediately entered Johns Hopkins University.
Don's next noteworthy position was as a hydraulic test engineer with the New York Airbrake Company, where he learned all phases of analog computer operation, from formulation of the necessary equations, programming, and interpretation of results to the repair and upkeep of all the necessary equipment. This analog training, in conjunction with aeronautical engineering education and flight experience, led to a better position as an aero-engineer with the Link Simulation Company.
In 1966, Don entered Navy Civil Service as a GS-12 aerospace engineer, at the Naval Equipment Training Center, Orlando, Florida. He received a BSE from the University of Florida in 1968.
Don retired from Civil Service in 1974 as a Supervisory Engineer, GS-14, and was residing in Orlando at the time of his death on 17 September 1989.
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Dick's first duty was in NEVADA (88-36), which was heavily damaged on 7 December, repaired at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard and refitted at Puget Sound Navy Yard. These experiences led to a long professional career in ship construction and engineering. After MIT, Dick proceeded through a series of Navy EDO assignments in NAVSC shipyards, staffs and BuShips until retiring in July, 1963.
With their three daughters, Peggy and Dick settled in Short Hills, NJ, to establish themselves in civilian life. He stayed within the marine industry in design, shipbuilding and manufacturing until 1984. Then he retired into consulting on energy matters. Peggy launched her own career in real estate sales in the early 70's and remains very active.
Their girIs and their families (four granddaughters and two grandsons) live in Short Hills. They all belong to the same church, joined the same club, and enjoy being townspeople in this very fine New York suburb.
They travel to far places from time to time and keep active playing tennis and squash with the grandchildren (and others). So, their plan is to stay put among friends and enjoy being near the families as they grow up.
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Shortly after graduation, Jack joined three classmates on active duty in forming a unique cadre of Class of '40 Instructors at the U.S. Naval Academy. This congenial foursome dispersed "when by the service called away", circa December 7, 1941. For Jack, the call was to New London to learn the fundamentals of submarining.
Following a tour of duty in a Submarine School O-Boat, Jack was transferred to the new-construction PADDLE, soon enroute to the Pacific war. After several war patrols, he was reassigned, serving the remainder of the war in REDFISH. This was a highly decorated submarine, having sent to the bottom, among other enemy ships, a Japanese aircraft carrier. This effrontery had been answered imperfectly by Japanese escorts attempting to repay them in kind. During an unscheduled overhaul in the States to repair the substantial damage to REDFISH, Jack and Mollie (nee Patrick) scheduled a wedding, celebrated happily on March 10, 1945.
Over the ensuing seasons, tours ashore and afloat came rapidly. As an NROTC Instructor at the University of Illinois, Jack began the off-duty study of law. Duties at sea followed, capped by his first command, the submarine TIGRONE. During the years to come, he would command the destroyer ROSS and the fleet tanker ELOKOMIN.
Interspersed with these assignments was attendance at the United Kingdom Staff College, succeeded by duty as Administrative Officer, Commander Naval Forces, Europe. Earlier, the rudiments of practical politics were absorbed as Liaison Officer, U.S. Senate. On this tour, Jack completed -- at evening classes -- requirements for a law degree. That was a vintage year (1959): E. J. Newbould was also promoted to Captain, U.S. Navy.
In 1965, Jack passed the Virginia and D.C. Bar exams, retired from the Navy and started a new career in trade association work. This pursuit included a decade of service as President, National Clay Pipe Institute. During this period, he was elected President of the Water Pollution Control Federation, an international society fostering the cause of clean water.
Mollie and Jack were blessed with two sons. They are twice blessed with two granddaughters.
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Bob, also known to classmates as Foggy (well earned plebe year), went first to NORTHAMPTON at Pearl. In 1942, he was Armed Guard Officer on the Army Transport ANCON and on a Dutch merchantman in Australia and the South Pacific. Following a stint in DE's in the Atlantic, he applied for flight training in 1943. "Washed out" in a purge, he was dispatched to CABOT, a CVL with TF 58, to become Gunnery Officer. He was given a Commendation Ribbon during a year's dodging (not always successfully) kamikazes and typhoons off the Philippines, Okinawa and Japan.
Surprisingly, in 1945, BuPers offered Bob another try at flight training. Marriage to Barbara Peede ensued, and he earned his wings at Pensacola, where son, William, was born in 1946. He flew Torpedo and Dive Bombers on the West Coast, eventually skippering VA-15 and VA- 54. In 1949, he transferred to the Naval Academy, where he was a Steam Prof and where daughter, Dorothy, was born. Bob then went to ESSEX as Navigator during the Korean War, earning him a second commendation ribbon. He then taught at the Line School at Monterey, CA, and from there took his family to Okinawa, where as C.O. of FASRON 118 with a detachment on Taiwan, he enjoyed many trips throughout the Orient. Final duty was Operations Officer, NAS Corpus Christi, a harassing and demanding but professionally rewarding job. His final Navy flight ended with a "flame out" in a T2V jet at 50,000 feet (fortunately it restarted).
Retiring voluntarily in 1960, Bob acquired an M.S. in Mathematics at Purdue University and went on to teach math and astronomy for 14 years at Whittler College, CA. He also was the Foreign Student Advisor. In 1975, sans children, Bob and Barbara moved to Santa Barbara, where Bob started a tax business. A marriage separation ensued, and Bob reentered the Navy by taking cruises on ships as a math prof, one on a new destroyer that took him to the Philippines. Eventually, he met his present lovely wife, a child therapist named Elizabeth Alexander. Marriage was in 1983 on Kauai, with combined children and Betty's two grandchildren present. Endeavors now include gardening at their home overlooking the Pacific, body surfing, math tutoring at the local J.C., and trying to keep up with Betty's activities. They also travel as often and as far as they can, especially enjoying Castine, where they savor fellowship with that greatest of aggregations, the Class of '40!
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Before flight training, Bud served in cruisers: USS ST. LOUIS (CL-49), and USS ATLANTA (CL-51). His flight training began in October, 1942. He carrier-qualed in USS WOLVERINE in F-4Fs in August, 1943, was Assistant VF Instructor (F-4F/F-6F), then Advanced Training Instructor at JAX. Bud joined Carrier Air Group 2 in Pasco, WA, in December, 1944, as X.O. of VBF-2 (F-4Us); reformed and retrained through San Diego, Hilo, and Saipan, boarding USS SHANGRI LA (CV-38) in later August, 1945. From September to June, 1946, he served on the Staff, ComCruDiv 17/CTF 53, Northeast Japan Occupation Force, with time off to marry, on 6 March 1946, Elaine A. Segal of Jacksonville.
Next, it was Washington duty in the Scientific Section, Defensive Branch, of The Joint Army-Navy Air Intelligence Division (JANAID). JANAID was followed by a mixed tour in JAX: first as O-in-C of COMAIRLANT Special Training Unit ONE, under COMFAIRJAX; next as X.O. of VA-45 (ADs), and finally as C.O. of VF-12 (F-8Fs). Bud left JAX in 1950 to attend the Air Command and Staff School at Maxwell AFB, then went to NAAS Cabaniss Field as O-in-C VF Advanced Training Unit 1. In 1953-1954, he was Navigator of USS ESSEX (CV-9), including a 9-month deployment to WestPac. From 1954 to 1956, Bud served as Commander Carrier Air Group 14, with an 8-month deployment to WestPac. This tour included the shakedown of NAS Cubi Pt. and jet-test of NAS, Agana, Guam, after which he served on the Staff of CINCPACFLT as Air Readiness and Air Logistics Officer.
In 1958, Bud went to Washington again, as F-8U Program Manager in BuAer/BuWeps. Next, he took the Naval Warfare Course, at Newport. His first joint duty (1961-64) was on the Staff of CINCCarib/CINC Southern Comd., Canal Zone. Next, after command of NAS Glenview, it was back to joint duty: the Defense Communications Planning Group, at the Naval Observatory, then to the Pentagon as Chief of Plans, Directorate for Civil Disturbance Planning and Operations.
Bud retired on 1 July, 1970, and, in December, moved to Tallahassee, where, for 18 months he served on the Governor's Council on Criminal Justice. He took some courses in the FSU graduate school of business before trying full retirement.
Bud's wife, Elaine, died on 1 July, 1978. He served briefly in his church in Tallahassee as part-time business administrator, but after a trip to Greece with friends from hometown Phoenix, and meeting again a lively widow with whom he had gone through grammar school, high school, and a year of junior college, he gave up the job and moved back to Phoenix. Kathryn Hertz Capps and Bud were married on December 8, 1979. They now play a bit of golf, some tennis now and then, between trips to here and there.
ARCHIBALD THOMAS NICHOLSON, JR.
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CALIFORNIA was Nick's first ship. On December 7, 1941, Nick had the busiest watch of his career as OOD at the time of the Japanese attack. Next came duty in the new cruiser COLUMBIA at Philadelphia, later taking part in a number of actions in the South Pacific, including the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay. Nick then journeyed to Boston to commission SPRINGFIELD in September, 1944. A week later he went to East Orange, NJ, to commission his bride, Gilberta Sarles. In January, 1945, SPRINGFIELD shoved off for Okinawa. Steaming into Tokyo Bay in September as Gun Boss, Nick had the unique pleasure of ending the war he had started at Pearl.
The next 18 years included duty at the Naval Academy as instructor in Ordnance and Gunnery; Exec of HANK for 9 months of Korean operations; command of STRONG, with a return engagement in Korean waters; Exec of the Fleet Training Center, in Norfolk; CinPacFlt's Staff; Exec of COLUMBUS; attendance at the Military Assistance Institute in Washington; and then to Panama, where Nick was Chief of the Military Assistance Section of the Logistics Division, CinCarib. In mid-1963, Nick, Gil, and the family traveled by MSTS from Panama to Norfolk where he took command of the oiler NEOSHO in August from Cary Hall who had succeeded Harvey Seim (lucky ship -- three 4.0's in a row!) In mid-1964 came orders as Asst. Chief of Staff (Admin) to CINCLANTFLT. A year later anguished cries to the Great God BUPERS brought deliverance from this dog-and-cat job, and they were en route Sasebo, Japan, to report to COMSERVGRUTHREE in a new billet as on-scene operational commander of logistics forces off Vietnam -- a great job. In July, 1967, after fleeting up to Chief of Staff, he was finally captured by the Pentagon (it took them 27 years) but he enjoyed the next three years as Deputy Director of the Current Operations Section of OPNAV. On 1 July 1970, having been invited to all the wars they ever gave since WW I, Gil and Nick bought their retirement home in Virginia Beach, VA. This move coincided with the Navy's expansion of its high school Junior ROTC Program in Tidewater, and Nick was chosen to commission and head the Naval Science Unit at Norfolk's Norview High School. This was satisfying, rewarding and kept him in uniform and in good spirits for another ten years, after which he decided to retire fully. In 1988, they reluctantly sold their home of 18 years to get away from its acre of grass; by the time this is printed they will be in smaller digs right in their old neighborhood. During their long Navy association, they managed to survive its occasional hard knocks and thoroughly enjoyed the many interesting experiences it brought. In retrospect, they wouldn't have changed much of it.
Son Douglas, his wife Tina and Douglas, Jr. (2) live near Nick and Gil in Virginia Beach as does his daughter Stephanie (14) who lives there with her mother, Gale. Their daughter Nancy and husband Joseph R. Van Evera, live in Lake Linden, Michigan, in upper UPPER Michigan with their other grandchildren, Hannah (15) and Christopher (13).
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Dick reported to his first ship, OKLAHOMA, at Bremerton. During a pleasant summer, he did what young ensigns do in a battleship, and he and Bill Carpenter made good use of the local golf courses. When OKLAHOMA joined the fleet in Pearl in the fall, they shifted their golf to the Oahu Country Club (green fee, one dollar for a day, so they usually played 36 holes, sometimes 54). On the night of 6 December 1941, Dick stayed in Honolulu at the home of Bill and Mary Carpenter, and although they jumped into their Model A Ford and joined the massive stream of cars trying to get to Pearl Harbor on that Sunday morning, OKLAHOMA had already been one of the first ships to be sunk, at 0800 on 7 December. After a short time at Pearl, Dick was ordered back to the U.S. to a new battleship, SOUTH DAKOTA, returning to the Pacific for all the major campaigns of the long war. In mid-war, he was transferred to the cruiser PITTSBURGH, and was on board when PITTSBURGH's bow broke off during a typhoon in 1945.
After the war, Dick was Aide to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, and later to CINCPACFLT. While in the latter tour, on 4 January 1949, Dick married Meredith McCrea, daughter of Vice Admiral John Livingstone McCrea. Four children were born of this marriage: Jennifer Ann, 13 October 1950; John McCrea, 13 October 1951; Rebecca, 16 July 1952; and Meredith, 30 March 1954. Dick was godfather for Bill and Mary Carpenter's first child, Richard Milner Carpenter.
Dick's subsequent duties included X.O. of MASSEY, during the Korean War; command of HAZELWOOD and N. K. FERRY; the Joint Staff; and Staff, COMDESLANT. At Newport, Dick and Meredith were living in an unusual dwelling called "The Round House," when it caught fire early in the morning of 9 February 1959. Dick lost his life fighting the fire downstairs, attempting to save the family upstairs, not knowing that they had escaped from the back of the top floor. Dick had been selected for Captain; he was buried in what was to have been his Captain's uniform.
Meredith married COL Christopher C. Coyne, U.S. Army, on 20 February 1960. COL Coyne is retired, and he and Meredith now live in Jupiter, Florida.