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At random: "...anyone who knows a submariner, (as well as anyone can know a submariner), knows that even after he retires he never really leaves the boats." Submarine: Steel Boats: Iron Men

Obit Messenger results for 06/04/09. Moderators: Jump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]
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Pig

Posted 2009-06-04 3:27 PM (#27394)

Plankowner

Posts: 5024

Location: Gulfport, MS

Subject: Obit Messenger results for 06/04/09.

- (Fresno Bee)
HUTER, Elmer G.,"Sailor, Rest Your Oar" Elmer entered this life on December 11, 1910, in Fresno, Ca. as the second son of immigrants August and Katie Huter. He departed on Saturday, May 30, 2009. As a young boy he loved animals and had a wide variety of pets which continued throughout his life. In his youth he worked in the grape fields west of Fresno to help his family. This work led to his passion for farming. In 1928 at 17 years of age, in the face of economic hardships, he followed in the footsteps of his older brother, August, and joined the U.S. Navy. After boot camp in San Diego, his first duty station was aboard the submarine tender USS Holland, which was soon sent to Pearl Harbor. With only two hotels and few tourists, Hawaii was considered a young man's paradise. He soon volunteered for submarine duty and qualified. Elmer was placed aboard the USS R-13 where an officer took an interest in him and talked him into attending radio school on the islands. He excelled and was considered 'one of the best' radio and sound men and was noted as such in the book "Silversides", by Robert Trumbull. He spent the next five years in Hawaii on the R-13, not having the opportunity to visit home during this period. The island paradise came to an end when his entire squadron of subs was ordered back to New London, Ct. via the Panama Canal. While in New London he met his future wife, Josephine Agnes Dubiel, his life-long partner. They were married in 1933. In 1936 he was assigned shore duty and was stationed for 18 months working a radio relay station on the small island of St. Paul, Ak. in the middle of the Bering Sea. He was allowed to bring with him his wife and one daughter, 18 month old Lois. A second daughter, Patricia, was said to be the first caucasian baby born on the island. St. Paul is known for its seal population, but the sailors kept themselves busy by digging up old walrus tusks and skulls that were buried up to 20 feet deep. For the rest of his life Elmer enjoyed showing his walrus tusk collection to anyone interested. In 1938 his enlistment was up, and he left the Navy. With a family to take care of and no job in sight, he re-enlisted with the agreement that he would be put on a modern fleet sub being built, the USS Sculpin. His tenure on the Sculpin involved an extraordinary historic event. Her sister ship, the Squalus, sank while test diving. The Sculpin was diverted from its shakedown cruise and ordered back to search for her. They soon sighted a distress signal and an emergency telephone buoy from the Squalus. The buoy phone line snapped, and all communication between the subs was lost. Elmer was given the task of communicating by Morse code with the Squalus survivors by tapping on the hull of the Sculpin with a hammer. Eventually a newly-invented rescue bell was used to rescue the surviving crew...26 hands perished. In 1941 the Sulpin was stationed at Pearl Harbor and Elmer was sent back to the States to another new sub being built at Mare Island, the USS Silversides. Elmer's brother would also volunteer to be part of the crew. World War II started, and the Silversides would undertake its first war patrol, the first of many leading to one of the most illustrious submarine records of the war. This patrol was notable because of the boat's involvement in a deck gun battle with a Japanese sampan; this resulted in the loss of a crew member. During this patrol she sank or damaged numerous Japanese ships which led to severe depth charge attacks by enemy destroyers. Submerged and unable to shake its attackers, the Silversides waited until darkness before surfacing. The crew soon realized she was tangled in a fishing net. Elmer brought home a piece of that net as a memento. Crew members all received a unit commendation for this patrol. After returning to Pearl Harbor, Elmer was transferred to a surface ship, the USS Kitty Hawk, which was desperately in need of a radio man. She was a heavily-escorted ship since her valuable cargo was planes and tanks destined to be unloaded on South Pacific Islands. By war's end, Elmer was a Chief Petty Officer, and the Kitty Hawk had steamed a total of 292,328 miles, an equivalent of 12 times around the world. After 20 years of active duty Elmer retired but was still in the fleet reserve. In the early fifties he began his second career, farming a broken-down 20 acre vineyard in the Kerman area. The family struggled to make a go of it when, as luck would have it, the Korean War broke out, and Elmer was called back to serve his country. His wife, now alone with their five daughters and a son on the way, had to run the farm. Elmer served two years in Japan before he was able to return home. He loved to farm grapes which he made into raisins. Elmer and Josephine both saw potential in farms others did not and became respected raisin growers in the Kerman area. He was a charter member of the Raisin Bargaining Association. In his later years he enjoyed being driven around the farms to look at his grapes growing and being harvested. Elmer and Josephine always regretted that circumstances did not allow them to finish their schooling. Through encouragement and great sacrifice, they made sure all six of their children received college degrees. Elmer's family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and PCA's at Community Regional Medical Center and Jolene, Rosa, Prince and Russell from Rest at Home for the loving care and compassion shown to their father. Elmer was preceded in death by his wife, Josephine; brother, August Huter; sister, Eleanor Bien; and granddaughter, Kathleen Upton. He is survived by his daughters, Lois Tarkanian and her husband Jerry, Patricia Upton and her husband Clifford, Josephine Schroeter and her husband Gilbert, Elmira McDonough and her husband Robert, Christina Almeida and her husband Louis; his son, Elmer G. Huter, Jr and his wife Lilliana; 17 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren. A Funeral Service will be held at Fresno Memorial Gardens on Friday, June 5, 2009, at 9:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Community Regional Medical Center Foundation, P.O. Box 1232, Fresno, Ca. 93715. WHITEHURST, SULLIVAN, BURNS & BLAIR FUNERAL HOME 1525 East Saginaw Way Freno, Ca. (559)227-4048

- (NewsZapDE)
Michael F. Kordek, 94, of Lewes, DE passed away on Monday, June 1, 2009, at Harbor Healthcare, Lewes. Mr. Kordek was born on September 9, 1914 in Baltimore, Md., to the late Frank and Roze Koziat Kordek. He was a supervisor for Archer's Laundry in Baltimore until his retirement. Mr. Kordek was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II; he served on the submarine USS Swordfish (SS-193). Mr. Kordek was the last surviving of 14 siblings. He is survived by his wife, Rose Marie Lutz Kordek; daughter, Michele Marie Marecki of Florida; sons, James P. Craig and John R. Craig, Jr. of Delaware; and six grandchildren. Services will be private. Interment will be at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Millsboro. Arrangements by Watson Funeral Home, Millsboro.

- (The Oregonian)
WIECHMANN, Allan Dale, 83, Allan Dale Wiechmann died Friday, May 29, 2009. He was born Nov. 22, 1925, in Sellwood to Martha and Rudolph Wiechmann. He attended Sellwood Grade School, Commerce High School and graduated from Oregon State College. Al served in the US Navy in the submarine service during World War II. In 1950, he married Joan Lawrence. At the age of 14 he became the youngest Eagle Scout in Oregon. He particularly enjoyed tying fishing flies which he gave away enthusiastically to those who shared a passion for the sport. Al was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, Oregon Masonic Lodge and Columbia Edgewater Country Club where he served as president in 1975. Al enjoyed playing golf and especially loved dancing with his lovely wife, Jo. He will affectionately be remem-bered as "The Big Beaver" by his surviving family: wife, Jo; daughters, Tammy, Brenda and Sally; grandchildren, Andrea, Nicholas and his wife, Jillian, Zachary, Kimberly, Rachel and Mark; and sons-in-law, Lonnie and Lee. A private family memorial gathering will be held.

- (The Palm Beach Post)
HINMAN, Earl Martin, 81, of Palm Beach Gardens, passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, May 26 of cancer. Earl graduated from Canton High School in Collinsville, CT, The University of CT, and the Ward School of Electronics at the University of Hartford. During WWII, Earl served in the US Navy submarine service in the North Atlantic. Earl retired from UTC Pratt Whitney after 33 years of dedicated service in both CT and since 1961 in FL. Earl and Virginia enjoyed the UTC Retirees Club and bowling league. Earl was a 60 year member of the Masons in CT and FL. He was a member of the Amara Shrine. He especially enjoyed his affiliation with Moose 2010 in PBG. Earl is survived by his wife of 60 years Virginia (Olson), four children, five grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Daughter Wendy Hinman Bush (Kenny), grandson David (Kristie and baby Aaron), grandson Steven (Nina); daughter Dayle Hinman Farrell (John), granddaughter Laura (Jeremiah) and their children Griffin, Tabitha Dayle and Helena; son Eric Olson Hinman (Mary Jo Garski); son Jeffrey Martin Hinman (Dale) and granddaughters Katina and Jennafer Leigh. Earl is also survived by one brother, H. Loyd Hinman of Sorrento, FL and nephews and nieces in CT. Earl was under the dedicated, capable and loving care of Dr. Barry Lerner and the blue team of Hospice. Donations can be made in Earl's name at Hospice of Palm Beach County. It was Earl's desire to be cremated and have his ashes interred in the sea in a private ceremony by his family. Arrangements are being handled by Edgley Cremation Services. To express condolences and/or make donations Visit PalmBeachPost.com/obituaries

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