Group 2. Currently Active Rotary Club of Kent Members Who Served in WWII.
Jim enlisted in the Navy in February 1945. He was a Pharmacist Mate 3rd in the summer of 1945. He was slated to report to for Camp Pendleton for fleet marine training, to prepare for the invasion of Japan in November 1945. Jim was relieved when the atomic bombs ended the war in August 1945 and he didn’t have to be a part of the invasion force . He went back to college and graduated in 1949. In 1952, he was recalled to active duty because of the Korean War. Jim said that, "In the usual foresight of the military, I was sent to the Mediterranean Sea, to serve on the USS Coral Sea." Jim was welcomed aboard by the head of the medical department with the greeting, "Why were you sent here? We’re overstaffed!" A week later Jim was called into the Captain’s office and told that since he had been recalled to active duty from his job at the New York Times, he was being assigned to the ship’s newspaper as Editor and Chief. Jim’s protests that he had been in the circulation department at the Times fell on deaf ears, and he served as Editor of the Coral Sea Breeze (Jim named the paper) for his entire tour. Jim said that his success as Editor was insured when he put the Captain’s picture on the cover of nearly every issue. Jim had a wonderful tour of duty, getting to visit Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, France, Morocco, Spain, Portugal and Algeria.
Bob Dumm
Bob served
as an intern and physician at the Philadelphia Naval Hospital for two years. Bob was a Naval Officer and completed a remarkable, life
long career in medicine here in Kent a few years ago.
Duane enlisted at 17 years of age into the regular
Navy. He served in the South Pacific on the Staff of Commander, Mine Craft - Pacific Fleet. They dragged for mines and tended mine
nets. Duane was in charge of the enlisted personnel for the Flag Command. He served from 1943-46 and attained the grade of Yeoman
1st Class.
Alex volunteered for the Navy V-7 Program in February 1942, after graduating from Kansas State
University in May 1941. He was working for Halliburton as an engineer in Duncan, Oklahoma (years later Halliburton moved to Dallas,
Texas). He was assigned to the V-7 Program at Nortre Dame University as an Apprentice Seaman for one month, and then to an old converted
battlewagon (Prairie State – formerly the USS Illinois) in the Hudson River, New York City, as a Midshipman. He was commissioned an
Ensign-Engineering late in the summer of 1942. He was then assigned to the Diesel Engineering School at Penn State University for
three months. Next, he was ordered to Guantanamo Bay (GTMO), Cuba to serve on PT boats as Engineering Officer for six months escorting
ships from GTMO to Trinidad and back. Next he was assigned to Destroyer Escort School in Miami, Florida. Then to a one month diesel
school in Cleveland, Ohio. Finally, assigned to the Destroyer Escort, USS DeLamons (DD743) as Engineering Officer. The USS DeLamons
was commissioned in San Pedro, California in February 1944. Then proceeded to Hawaii and to Marshall Island Battle (escorting the
Third and Fifth Fleets). The USS DeLamons participated in the invasion battles of Guam, Saipan, Tinian (then Ulithi), the Philippines
(escorted MacArthur to Borneo Battle), Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The USS DeLamons was awarded nine battle stars…more than any other DE.
Returned to the states in February 1946 and was released from active duty, exactly four years after he had entered. Alex stayed in
the Naval Reserves until 1949, when business commitments caused him to resign. He completed his service as a LCDR.
