The Seaman and the Admiral

 Admiral Richard Conolly
National Archives # 80-G-82331

Daddy shared a story from his days aboard ship in WWII with me this evening.
It is lengthy, and I hope that you don't mind staying with me for a few minutes so that I can share it with you.

When Daddy was 16, he joined the Navy not long after Pearl Harbor was bombed.
He was a seaman on board the ship The USS Appalachian.
The USS Appalachian was the flagship for Rear Admiral Richard Conolly (Amphibian Group 3 in the Pacific.)

Daddy is and always  has been a hard worker...industrious and honorable.
He was working  on board the ship in the carpenter's shop (as a seaman but hoping to earn his rank as 3rd class Petty Officer and get a stripe on his sleeve)....and he said that the phone in the carpenter's shop rang and he answered it. 
 
It was a Marine who was calling on behalf of Admiral Connoly. The Marine who called identified himself (Conolly was always surrounded by Marines on board ship) and wanted to know if there was a carpenter that was available. Admiral Conolly had a project he needed done.  Daddy was the only one in the shop at that time, and he said, "Yes Sir!" and he said he "high-tailed" (Daddy's words) it up to the deck on which Admiral Conolly was and knocked on the door. A Marine opened the door, and Daddy told him who he was and that someone had just called down to the carpenter's shop and said that the Admiral needed a carpenter. (Remember....Daddy is a Seaman....striking to be a Carpenter's Mate...but not yet a carpenter's mate.)  The Marine knocked on Admiral Connoly's door, and Daddy said he heard, "Come in."  The Marine motioned Daddy through. Daddy said, "I stood  there and was about to be addressed by the Admiral." (I'm sure Daddy was humbled. I could tell by the way he was telling me the story tonight.) 

Admiral Conolly said, "Hello lad.  I need something built. I need to ship these home and I need something built to ship them in. Can  you do that?" 
Daddy looked over on the admiral's bed and saw 4 Japanese sabers. (Daddy said they were adorned with jewels and were beautiful sabers.) 
Daddy said, "Yes sir.  I can."   He had brought paper, pencil and measuring tape, and he said that he took meticulous measurements of the sabers.
He said, "I'll take care of it for you, Sir."

He then raced back downstairs to the carpenter's shop and began working on the wooden box that would house the sabers. Daddy said he picked out the best wood from the racks....worked on the box with care...and made sure the box was perfectly made...went and found some green felt to line the box....(the kind of felt one might see on a pool table)...glued the felt in....sanded the box...and built and sanded a top for the box. It had taken him nearly all day to build it, but it was finished.
He went back up to Admiral Conolly's quarters, box tucked proudly under his young arm. 

He knocked on the door. A Marine answered. He admitted Daddy to Admiral Conolly's office.  Daddy gave him the box.

Admiral Conolly put each sabre in its place. Daddy had made it so that each one had its own spot and wouldn't move or get damaged in shipment. The Admiral stood back, and Daddy said that he could tell that he really liked it. 

He asked, "Lad. You're a carpenter's mate?"
Daddy said, "No Sir.  I'm a Seaman....but I'm  striking to be a Carpenter's Mate."
"Fine job, lad."

Daddy said that less than 30 days later he received a promotion to 3rd Class Petty Officer.
He had earned his stripe!

I think about this story and think back to how many things had to happen for Daddy to have gotten his stripe.  He was in the right place at the right time. He had to be willing to be a go-getter. He had to be willing to work hard. He had to do a good job at what he put his mind to, and someone had to have noticed and taken action. Without any of those things, Daddy wouldn't have gotten his stripe.

As he was telling the story to me tonight, my heart was so happy for him. Seaman would have been fine with me. My Daddy was the best seaman there was. I just know it. The next ranking was Petty Officer 3rd class. Daddy strove to attain that. And by George, he did it!

I have done a little research on Admiral Conolly. What a service to our country he provided!
He served in World War I and World War II.

Ironically, after all the battles he commanded in the Pacific, in Europe, and in Africa, he and his wife were killed in a plane crash in New York City.

" On 1 March 1962 Admiral Conolly and his wife, Helen B. Conolly, were passengers aboard American Airlines Flight 1, which crashed into Jamaica Bay soon after take-off from Idlewild Airport, New York City, killing all 95 passengers and crew aboard. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery." Wikipedia