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 Author  Topic: LTjg Ralph (nmi) Pearson
RPsNephew

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of RPsNephew  Posted on: May 6, 2022 - 3:04pm
My Uncle, Ralph Pearson, served in WWll along with his two brothers. I have found much information on the other two brothers, but I am still trying to crack the code on Uncle Ralph. So far, I have found the following:

Name - LTjg Ralph (nmi) Pearson
Birth - Sept 30, 1916
Date of Rank - December 1, 1945
Retirement - January 1953
Death - March 15, 1994

He served as the skipper of a PT Boat that participated in the campaign associated with the Marianna Islands. His son and I would appreciate any pointers or other information you all could provide to assist us in finding more information.

Sincerely,
Larry Pearson

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29navy

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of 29navy  Posted on: May 7, 2022 - 7:09am
I searched through listings of PT Boaters, Ralph Pearson is not on the list.

I find it interesting that his pay entry base date (the day he came into the Navy is 2/12/1942, but his commissioning date for Ensign is 5/10/44. For his age (26) he wouldn't have been in school and was in ROTC. And he doesn't show up as enlisted on any ship. He could have been enlisted on a shore command and then went to midshipman school in 1944, but I don't have a starting point to even look.

I find him on a muster report from October 1945. He was temporarily attached to the USS APc 34 (APc-1 Class Small Coastal Transport) from the Commander of APC Flotilla 5.

If you can provide any other info that might help narrow things down that would help.

I'll look through the midshipman school books to see if I find him.

Charlie




Charlie

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  Jerry Gilmartin

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Jerry Gilmartin   Send Email To Jerry Gilmartin Posted on: May 7, 2022 - 6:24pm
The only mention of the Marianas Islands with regard to PT Boats was that RON27 and RON31 were based for a short time at Palau, which had recently been captured. Also, the 39 PT boats that made the long distance voyage from Mios Woendi to Leyte Gulf just before the battle of Surigao Straights stopped in Palau to refuel. This may narrow down the search to include just those boats in the involved RONS

Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR

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RPsNephew

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of RPsNephew  Posted on: May 12, 2022 - 3:02pm
CHARLIE, THANKS FOR YOUR WORK. I HOPE THAT THIS MISSIVE FOLLOWS THE PROPER PROCEDURE. IF NOT, LET ME KNOW AND i'LL TRY AGAIN. LARRY


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RPsNephew

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of RPsNephew  Posted on: May 12, 2022 - 3:07pm
JERRY, THANK YOU FOR THE REFERENCES. I WILL FORGE AHEAD. LARRY


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29navy

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of 29navy  Posted on: May 16, 2022 - 8:08am
Larry,

The only real way to find out for sure is to get a copy of his service record. But don't send a request to the Personnel Records Center in St Louis. Here's a service that I have used that will pull the record for you. It is Golden Arrow Research. They do good work

https://www.goldenarrowresearch.com/

Charlie

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Stearman

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Stearman  Posted on: May 16, 2022 - 8:39pm
Thanks, Charlie! My Dad was one of the Army Air Forces records destroyed in 1973. His DD214 is pretty useless, The young Lieutenant in Iowa was a real peace of work, did not like those that were in combat! He made my Dad remove two battle stars in front of everyone. My Dad just wanted to get home so he removed them. His Father had died from pneumonia, so my Dad got out in first part of 45. He even was up for a Bronze star, but with all the records gone, The Army would not award it. I will try that sight, hopefully, they can fill in the blanks, where he was over seas and so forth! Cheers, Dennis


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29navy

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of 29navy  Posted on: May 17, 2022 - 7:44am
Quote:

Thanks, Charlie! My Dad was one of the Army Air Forces records destroyed in 1973. His DD214 is pretty useless, The young Lieutenant in Iowa was a real peace of work, did not like those that were in combat! He made my Dad remove two battle stars in front of everyone. My Dad just wanted to get home so he removed them. His Father had died from pneumonia, so my Dad got out in first part of 45. He even was up for a Bronze star, but with all the records gone, The Army would not award it. I will try that sight, hopefully, they can fill in the blanks, where he was over seas and so forth! Cheers, Dennis





Fortunately, the Navy records weren't burned in the fire so you should be able to get them. Good luck.



Charlie

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Jeff D

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Jeff D   Send Email To Jeff D Posted on: May 18, 2022 - 5:51am
Wow Dennis, the urge to deck that Lt must have been strong... what a creep!


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Stearman

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Stearman  Posted on: May 27, 2022 - 8:37pm
Charlie, My Dad was Army Air Force, but I already had his DD214 plus his honorable discharge. His documents must have survived the fire in 1973, when I requested the material, his DD214 had a smudge in the upper left hand corner, exactly like his 1945 copy! There is not much that the guy you sent me a link to, can provide that I don't have. My Dad was in the 9th Air Force 436th Group, Troop Carrier 81st SQ. His squadron sailed to England on the RMS Queen Mary, I have the date some where! They were stationed at Membury, then they transferred to Melun France. That is when he almost went to sickbay. Seems he decided to ride an English bicycle, pulled hard on the front brake, and over the handlebars he went! He didn't want to be left behind, so his two Corporals taped up his cracked ribs, and sprained ankle, then they covered for him at roll call for a week. He went to France with the rest. He came back on an oil tanker, a whole lot slower then the Queen! I have more of course, photo of him and his buddies in their sheepskin flight suits, and one with his Tommy Gun! But thanks for the link, if I meet anyone that needs it, I will pass it on! Cheers, Dennis


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