DOB/DOD: December 27, 1921 (Collinsville, CT) – December 7, 1941; 19 years old MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried LOCAL ADDRESS:330 East Hill Road, Canton (Collinsville) ENLISTMENT: December 27, 1939 SERVICE NUMBER: 2072507 SHIP ASSIGNED TO: USS Nevada (BB-36)
FAMILY: Born to John Einar Luntta (1886-1948) and Wendla J. Kovanen Luntta (1890-1941), both born in Finland. Brothers Elmer (1912-1979), Hans (1919-2008), and Eero “Pete” (1925-1986). Sisters are Tyyne M. (1908-1912), Viola M. Luntta Vienot (1914-2014), Kyllikki “Jeannie” Luntta Tosterelli (1916-2003) and Tellerva “Selma” Luntta Jenkins (1917-2012).
Report of Changes from the USS Nevada dated December 31, 1941, listing Seaman Luntta as “Killed In Action”
From The Hartford Courant January 3, 1942
Collinsville, Jan. 2. – (Special) – Word that John K. Luntta of this town, serving in the United States Navy, had been killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor was received Friday by his father, John E. Luntta of East Hill. The son enlisted in December 1939, shortly after becoming 18 years of age. Two brothers of the youth are also in the Navy and one was reported to be on the same battleship but no word has been received concerning them.
From findagrave.com: At 0910 on December 7, 1941, at Hospital Point, the crippled USS Nevada was trying to escape the harbor when Japanese planes concentrated their attack on it. Afraid that if the ship sank, it would block the harbor entrance, Admiral Pye ordered it beached five minutes after its skipper, Captain Scanlan, came aboard. The Nevada had three officers and 47 enlisted men killed, and five officers and 104 enlisted wounded.
From Today magazine, August 2020, page 7, used with permission from author David Leff
PEARL HARBOR ATTACK KILLED CANTON MAN Luntta was the first Valley serviceman to die in WWII
Canton’s John K. Luntta, Navy seaman first class, was killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor while aboard the battleship the USS Nevada.
He was the first Farmington Valley service member to be killed during World War II.
Luntta grew up on East Hill, where his father, J. Einar Luntta, a Finnish native, was a farmer.
Einar described by the Farmington Valley Herald as “a direct-eyed, genial character,” was also a polisher in the Collins Company knife handling department and served on the Canton Board of Selectmen.
John had left his Canton home shortly after enlisting in 1939, right after turning 18. His brothers Hans and Elmer were also in the Navy at Pearl Harbor during the attack. Their younger brother Eero would join the Navy at age 17 in 1943.
When word came of John’s death, Einar was worried that Hans might also have been killed since he was thought to be on the same ship. It wasn’t until late February that an anxiety-ridden Einar received a letter from Hans indicating that he was well.
Elmer, who was on shore duty, also sent a letter that buoyed his father’s spirits. Einar had last seen his three older boys in August 1941, after about a four-year absence.
With his youngest son, Einar traveled to California, where John and Hans were on leave from Pearl Harbor. On his return trip, he visited Washington, where Elmer was attending military radio school.
John was interred at Nuuanu Cemetery in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1941. In 1947, his body was sent home for burial in the Village Cemetery in Collinsville. A military funeral was conducted by the Albert E. Johnson American Legion Post.
John K. Luntta is listed among the casualties on a plaque at the National Park Service’s visitor center at Pearl Harbor.
David Leff is an award-winning author of 12 books, including “The Last Undiscovered Place,” which is about Collinsville — see his work at http://www.davidkleff.com.
DOB/DOD: June 28, 1919 (Wallingford, CT) – December 7, 1941; 22 years old MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried LOCAL ADDRESS:135 Prince Street, Wallingford ENLISTMENT: October 18, 1937 SERVICE NUMBER: 2072110 SHIP ASSIGNED TO: USS Arizona (BB-39)
FAMILY: Born to Henry Alexander (1885-1939) and Edda Anthony Lanouette (1886-1947). Three sisters, Florence E. Lanouette Fish (1910-1999), Margaret Lanouette Sova (1912-1942) and Edda M. Lanouette Richetelli (1916-1976).
NOTE: Henry’s father, also Henry, died suddenly on August 20, 1939, while Henry was in Navy training at Long Beach, California.
OTHER: Some resources have incorrect information listing the last name spelling as Lanquette. There was a Henry Joseph Lanquette from Connecticut in the U.S. Navy during the war, service number 8084780.
Another problem in the research is Henry’s middle name. On his birth certificate, it is listed as “Alexander.” Yet, his Navy records show his middle name as “John”.
From The Record-Journal, Meriden, Connecticut, February 9, 1942
Henry John Lanouette, coxswain, U.S. Navy, son of Mrs. Henry Lanouette of Center Street, was the first Wallingford boy to make the supreme sacrifice in the Second World War. His death on December 7 at Pearl Harbor was reported by the Navy Department.
From the Record-Journal (Meriden, CT) on February 7, 1942
NAVY CONFIRMS H.J. LANOUETTE DIED IN ACTION Mother Receives Letter From Secretary Frank Knox
Mrs. Henry A. Lanouette of Center Street, mother of Henry John Lanouette, United States Navy, has received a telegram from Rear Admiral Randall Jacobs, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, dated January 28, informing her of the loss of her son at Pearl Harbor. The communication reads:
“After an exhaustive search, it has been found impossible to locate your son, Henry John Lanouette, Coxswain, U.S. Navy, and he has therefore been officially declared to have lost his life in the service of his country as of December 7, 1941. The department expresses to you its sincerest sympathy.”
Another confirmation of his death arrived from Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy, under date of January 31, 1942.
“I desire to offer to you my personal condolence in the tragic death of your son, Henry John Lanouette, Coxswain, United States Navy, which occurred at the time of the attack by the Japanese on December seventh. It is hoped that you may find comfort in the thought that he made the supreme sacrifice upholding the highest traditions of the Navy, in the defense of his country. Very sincerely yours, Frank Knox.”
From The Journal (Meriden CT) on May 12, 1942
“Killed in action … Henry John Lanouette … Coxswain, U.S. Navy … Attached U.S.S. Arizona, Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.” … Those are the cold, hard words that tell of the death of Wallingford’s first victim in World War II … But there are warmer, kinder words, words that can speak of Lanouette’s love for the Navy and how fate played with time.
Henry John Lanouette was a typical Wallingford youngster who liked to play baseball and basketball. He didn’t excel at either of the sports, but he liked to spend his time in good, clean fun, and those were his favorite pastimes. He went to the movies like every ordinary borough youngster, had his favorite pals named Jim and Bob, and thoroughly enjoyed everything he did in everyday life. About five years ago, he joined up with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and was sent out to Oregon from where he wrote how much he liked the far west territory. He served one year, then came back home to help his father, the late Henry Lanouette, a borough firefighter. Shortly afterward he decided to join the Navy and soon departed for Newport for training. The first ship he boarded was the U.S.S. Arizona, and he often wrote home of his love for the Navy. He would write: “I think the Navy is the finest thing that happened to me.” Lanny,” as he was called by his mates in the Navy, was later based in Long Beach, California and it was there two years ago that he was called home to attend his father’s funeral. That was the last time the Lanouette’s saw “Lanny.” His four-year hitch was up last October and his family expected him home about December 1. For reasons unknown, he remained at Pearl Harbor, and on December 20, the first telegram arrived. “The Navy Department regrets … missing.” Another followed about a month later, listing him as one of the victims of the Japanese sneak raid at Pearl Harbor. Undoubtedly “Lanny” was at his post on the Arizona, which was plastered by Jap bombs, fighting on the same ship which had been his home for the four years previous. Henry John Lanouette was the only son of four children, leaving three sisters, Edda, Florence, and Margaret, and his mother, Mrs. Henry Lanouette. He has left us, but in our hearts, he will live forever.
DOB/DOD: October 8, 1922 (Waterbury, CT) – December 8, 1941; 19 years old MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried LOCAL ADDRESS: 114 Greenwood Avenue, Waterbury ENLISTMENT: April 23, 1941 SERVICE NUMBER: 11010756 UNIT: Battery E, 64th Coast Artillery Corps; Fort Shafter, Hawaii
FAMILY: Born to Henry Johnson (1889-1960) and Bertha Fannick Johnson (1900-1973). One half-brother, Alvin (1914-1990), one brother, David (1928-?), one half-sister, Anita Johnson Bernstein (1915-1986), and two sisters, D’Vora Johnson Greenberg (1926-1980) and Edith Johnson Savitsky (1927-2016).
CIRCUMSTANCES: Private Johnson was stationed at Fort Shafter, 5 miles east of Pearl Harbor. During the attack on December 7th, Private Johnson ran to his station and returned fire with anti-aircraft guns. He was wounded in the arm and died from those wounds.
OTHER: Private Johnson was the nephew of World War I Army Private David L. Fannick, who was killed in action in 1918, and the son of a Waterbury police detective.
From the Republican-American December 6, 2013 By Mike Patrick
WATERBURY — More than seven decades later, the city he left behind at age 19 remembers that Paul M. Johnson died a hero. He was stationed in Hawaii when, on Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. “He did what he was supposed to do,” said Bob Dorr of the city’s Veterans Memorial Committee, which will honor Johnson at its Pearl Harbor Day ceremonies today. “He ran to his gun and defended our nation, giving his life.” Attendees will gather at 12:30 p.m. at the Waterbury Elks Club, 233 West Main St., with Patriotic Services beginning promptly at 12:55 p.m., the exact time the first bombs fell on Pearl Harbor. From there, there will be a procession at 2 p.m. to the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge on Freight Street, where a new sign has been erected in Johnson’s honor. A boat filled with flowers will be launched into the Naugatuck River to honor the spirit of the 2,403 men who died in the Pearl Harbor attack. Johnson’s younger sister, Edith Savitsky, who was 13 when her brother left for the Army around 1940, is expected to attend today’s event, along with more than a dozen of Johnson’s other relatives, most of whom live in the suburbs of Waterbury, Dorr said. Johnson is buried in Hebrew Benefit Cemetery on Stillson Road, at the David L. Fannick Jewish War Veterans No. 91 Memorial. Fannick, the first Jewish soldier to die in World War I, was Johnson’s uncle.
From The Republican-American December 2013 By John McKenna
LITCHFIELD — A U.S. Army private who died after being wounded defending Pearl Harbor from attack by the Japanese was honored as the Veteran of the Month Saturday by American Legion Post 44 of Bantam. Paul M. Johnson of Waterbury was recognized during Post 44’s service at the Bantam Borough Hall. His memorial flag will fly over the All Wars memorial in Bantam until January 4. Presenting the memorial flag was Thomas Ciarlo of Thomaston, who knew Johnson growing up in Waterbury. Ciarlo, two years younger than Johnson, represented AMVETS Post 24 in Torrington. The honoring of Johnson came as Post 44 marked the 72nd anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. Robert Dorr, Secretary of the Waterbury Veterans Memorial Committee, attended the service to pay tribute to Johnson and present Post 44 with a citation crediting it for supporting those who sacrificed their lives during the war. Johnson was stationed with an anti-aircraft battery at Fort Shafter near Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. The unit launched a barrage against Japanese fighter planes heading for the harbor on December 7, 1941, and downed several of them. He was severely wounded during the attack and died the next day. Johnson is buried in the war veterans section of the Hebrew Benefit Cemetery in Waterbury. A plaque serving as a memorial to Johnson was installed in Waterbury’s Fulton Park, near Johnson’s childhood home, by the Waterbury Veterans Memorial Committee as a reminder that “freedom is not free.” Born October 10, 1922, in Waterbury, Johnson was the son of Henry L. and Hilda Johnson. He attended Mary Abbott School and Leavenworth High School. Before enlisting in the Army, he was employed as a shipping clerk in Waterbury.
Private Johnson is buried at Waterbury Hebrew Benefit Association Cemetery, 244 Stillson Road, Waterbury, Connecticut; Plot V25, at the David L. Fannick Jewish War Veterans Post 91 Memorial. Photos by webmaster.
DOB/DOD: April 2, 1921 (Stamford, CT) – December 7, 1941; 20 years old MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried LOCAL ADDRESS:93 Glenbrook Road, Stamford (1940 census) ENLISTMENT: July 27, 1939 SERVICE NUMBER: 6148539 UNIT: 78th Pursuit Squadron, Wheeler Field
FAMILY: Born to Timothy (1893-1948) and Elizabeth T. Bender Horan (1895-1985). Father, Timothy, was a World War One veteran. Three brothers, Francis (1928-1981), Richard (1931-2005), and Robert (1938-). Two sisters, Catherine (1923-1947) and Audrey M. Horan Vivian (1925-2016).
From Stamford High School, Class of 1942 yearbook dedication (article below)
Vincent Horan was killed by a Japanese bomb fragment at Hickam Field, Hawaii, 16 miles north of Pearl Harbor, on the first wave of the attack on December 7, 1941. He was a member of the 78th Pursuit Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he was an aviation mechanic.
From The Stamford Advocate, August 2, 1939; contributed byEllen Sullivan, Senior Reader Services Librarian, The Ferguson Library, One Public Library Plaza, Stamford
LOCAL YOUTH, ARMY RECRUIT, AWAITING TRANSFER TO BASE
One of the four highest ranking students to take the United States Army examinations at Springfield, Massachusetts, a week ago, Vincent Horan, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy V. Horan of 97 Glenbrook Road, is temporarily stationed at Fort Slocum, New York, awaiting transfer to the Army base at Honolulu. Young Horan, who was a member of the June graduating class of Stamford High School, has been employed in his spare time as an elevator operator at the Hotel Roger Smith.
From the Stamford Advocate, December 9, 1941; contributed byEllen Sullivan, Senior Reader Services Librarian, The Ferguson Library, One Public Library Plaza, Stamford
The Japanese bombs which rained on Hawaii Sunday morning brought sorrow to Stamford last night when Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Horan of 300 Hubbard Avenue received a telegram reporting their son, Sergeant Vincent M. Horan of the 78th Pursuit Squadron, U.S. Army Air Corps, “killed in action” at Hickam Field, Pearl Harbor defense base. The official word of death read: “Regret to inform you that the commanding general Hawaiian Department reports your son, Vincent M. Horan, killed in action on December 7 at Hickam Field. No decision is now possible as to when the remains can be returned. You will be further advised when the shipment is contemplated. Adams, the Adjutant General, Washington D.C.” His mother had a letter from him on Friday in which he reported he would write again within a few days, and she is hopeful that he sent some message before the Japanese attack. “Vinnie” Horan was born in Stamford on April 2, 1921. He graduated from St. John’s Parochial School and Stamford High School, Class of 1939. While attending high school, he was employed at the Roger Smith Hotel, and that corporation sought his services in the extensive hotel chain upon his graduation. He had won several promotions while working for the hotel during after-school hours, and the management offered him a further promotion in its chain, but he desired to enlist in the Army Air Corps. One month after he graduated from high school, he enlisted, and late the following month, he was in Honolulu. He remained there until his death, although he was to have been transferred to the United States for a long furlough last August. Unsettled conditions in the Pacific resulted in his being kept there. His normal station was at Wheeler Field, about 22 miles from Hickam Field, his parents reported, and they are puzzled about his meeting death at Hickam. It is thought the first Jap attack on Wheeler Field drove the defending forces to Hickam Field, where he fell in the continuing attack. His advancement in the Army was also rapid and he held the rating of Sergeant for about a year before his death. Letters home during his service at Honolulu told of many fights over the Pacific and recounted over and over his delight in Army life, especially in Honolulu. He met many celebrities who vacationed there, and one snapshot sent to his parents was a view of young Horan and Dorothy Lamour, the movie actress, seated on a beach. News of his death was a severe blow to his parents, three younger brothers, and two younger sisters. The first word came by telephone, and for several hours, it was hoped the report was false, but later, the confirming telegram was received. The father, a member of the maintenance staff of Stamford High School, is a veteran of the World War and was wounded overseas. The Brothers of the dead soldier are Francis, Richard, and Robert; sisters Catherine and Audrey. All live with their parents.
From The Hartford Courant December 9, 1941
Stamford, Dec. 8 – (AP) – Among Connecticut’s first known casualties of the war with Japan apparently was Sergeant Vincent M. Horan of Stamford. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Horan, were reported to have received notice tonight that their son, a graduate of Stamford High School who enlisted with the Army in June 1939, was killed in action Sunday at Hickam Field, Honolulu. Sergeant Horan leaves five brothers and sisters besides his parents.
From The Stamford Advocate, June 10, 1942; contributed byEllen Sullivan, Senior Reader Services Librarian, The Ferguson Library, One Public Library Plaza, Stamford
HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK DEDICATED TO TWO GRADUATES KILLED AT PEARL HARBOR
Inasmuch as most of the material in this High School commencement section of The Stamford Advocate, along with the pictures, were taken from “Spirit of ’42,” the Stamford High School’s yearbook published by the Senior Class, it may not be amiss to let the public know who are the boys and girls responsible for this excellent work. The first annual yearbook is published at a time when the world is engulfed in a destructive war and already graduates of Stamford High School have made the supreme sacrifice in the defense of their country. The editors of the “Spirit of ’42” note this fact in the following appropriate words: “To the two recent graduates of Stamford High School fell the lot of not only excelling in their chosen fields, not only displaying superior citizenship but making the greatest patriotic gesture that mortal man has in his power, sacrificing their lives for their country. Sergeant Vincent Joseph Horan of the United States Army Air Corps, a graduate of the Class of 1939, and Ensign William Thomas O’Neill Junior of the United States Navy, a graduate of the Class of 1933, were killed in action while defending Pearl Harbor, Hawaii against Japanese attacks in December 1941. It is, thus, as an expression of our recognition of their valor, that the Class of 1942 deems it an honor to be able to pay tribute to the memories of two outstanding Americans. To Vincent Horan and William O’Neill, we dedicate this issue to the “Spirit of ’42.”
“The feeling around Stamford, the day after the attack, was probably very similar to that around the rest of the country — shock,” said Tony Pavia, a former Stamford High School history teacher and principal. “The difference was probably that Stamford then was not what it is now. It felt very much like a small town.”
Horan was so well-loved that a park now bears his name, and the former Rippowam High School was almost named Horan High School.
“When Vincent Horan was killed, the police chief and the editor of The Advocate found out first and went over to tell his mother,” Pavia said. “They didn’t want someone showing up at the door to tell her. It was really a trauma.”
From “An American Town Goes To War” by Tony Pavia; an interview with Sergeant Horan’s sister
“He was the only one in his squadron who was killed. The War Department later told us that during the attack he was running down the hangar line, and he was hit in the chest by shrapnel from one of the bombs that the Japanese dropped. He lay there for hours before anyone could reach him. He died from loss of blood.”
May 1, 1917 (Hamden, CT) – December 7, 1941; 24 years old Unmarried Hometown listed as Joliet, Illinois on December 7, 1941, however, he was born in Connecticut and attended Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut Enlisted on September 30, 1940; Commissioned March 14, 1941 Service number O-097031 USS Arizona (BB-39)
Born to Edward Gosselin (1893-1978) and Florilla Webb Gosselin (1889-1981). Brothers James (1921-1949) and John (1922-2002). Two sisters, Rosalie Gosselin Mellick (1920-2014) and Marjorie W. (1928-).
Ensign Edward Webb Gosselin had just been promoted to the officer in charge of 90 men who ran the boilers, hydraulic machinery and fuel supply on the USS Arizona when he was killed in the attack. He graduated from Yale, as did his mother, Florilla, from the Yale School of Music in 1911. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in 1940 before working briefly in Indiana. He played golf and football (150 lb league) at Yale and was a member of the Yale Political Union and St. Elmo Society. His father, also named Edward, was President of Phoenix Manufacturing Company, Joliet, Illinois, and Graver Tank & Manufacturing Company. Sources: From Bobbie Jo Carter, the University of Arizona and Yale Obituary Record of 1940 and 1941
From The Hartford Courant January 24, 1942
New Haven, Jan. 23 – (AP) – A series of letters published today by the Yale Alumni Magazine told the story of a young Naval Reserve ensign who had hoped for a Christmas rendezvous with his parents but instead kept one with death at Pearl Harbor. They were written by Ensign Edward Webb Gosselin, who graduated from Yale in 1940, to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward N. Gosselin of Joliet, Illinois, the first on May 4, 1941, the day after he arrived at Pearl Harbor to report for duty on the USS Arizona; the last on December 1. Wrote Ensign Gosselin on:
May 4 – We arrived in Pearl Harbor yesterday morning. I feel mighty happy about finally getting to my own ship.
May 11 – Gradually I’m beginning to settle down to some hard work, and I like it immensely. Naturally, I’ve got a lot to learn about my job yet.
May 14 – I have all the work I can possibly handle, but I certainly am crazy about it and like my ship a great deal.
July 10 – We don’t leave the ship very much anymore as there is just too much to be done. With the tempo of the United States policy of intervention in the war daily increasing, we can’t know our jobs too well. To me, it’s a great opportunity, and, as I’m beginning to learn something. I feel a little more valuable to the good old U.S.A. just in case.
September 9 – I do manage to get in a poker game with the boys but have to limit myself to once or twice a week because of time.
December 1 – Something which has made me feel quite proud of my progress is that last week I was made a full division officer. Mother and dad, there is a very slim chance (so slim I hate to mention it) that I may be able to get home for a couple of days around Christmas time. If I did get a chance to get home, a little cash towards helping me make the trip from the coast would be a mighty fine Christmas present to me. But then I’m not very optimistic about it at all; however, it’s something great to think about. I’ll be hoping.
On December 7, Ensign Gosselin became Yale’s first son to die in a new war.
From news.yale.edu
From Yale archivist Judith Schiff comes this tale of a Yale alumnus who was among those who gave their lives during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941:
The anniversary of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7 reminds us to be grateful for the supreme sacrifices made by young men of Greater New Haven and Yale.
One of them was Edward Webb Gosselin, a 1940 graduate of Yale College, who was born in Hamden and died on the Arizona at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. His name, rank, and date and place of death are inscribed on a tablet in Yale’s Memorial Hall (between Woolsey Hall and the University Dining Hall), whose memorial walls inspired the design of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington.
Gosselin was the first Yale alumnus to lose his life when America was plunged into war with Japan. After being commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy in March 1941, he was immediately assigned to duty with the Pacific fleet aboard the USS Arizona. In November he was promoted to full division officer in charge of the battleship’s boiler, hydraulic machinery, and fuel supply. He died aboard when the Arizona blew up after receiving a direct hit from an aerial bomb. Not long before his death, he wrote to his parents: “Mine is a great opportunity and I’m anxious to learn something more. I feel just a little more valuable to the U.S.A. – just in case.”
The Navy named the USS Gosselin in his honor. It was one of the first ships to enter Tokyo Bay prior to the surrender of Japan in September 1945, and the first radio broadcast from the Japanese harbor was sent from this vessel.
From hazegray.org
The namesake of the USS Gosselin (APD-126). Edward Webb Gosselin, born 1 May 1917 in Hamden, Connecticut was educated at Yale University. He enlisted as an Apprentice Seaman on 30 September 1940 and was commissioned on 14 March 1941. Ensign Gosselin’s first duty station was battleship ARIZONA (BB-39). He reported on board on 3 May 1941 as an Engineer when she was sunk at Pearl Harbor. Ensign Gosselin was officially declared dead as of 7 December 1941.
USS Gosselin (APD-126), launched on 17 February 1944 by the Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City, Michigan, was laid down and partially completed as destroyer escort DE-710; sponsored by Mrs. Edward Napolean (Florilla) Gosselin, mother of Ensign Gosselin, and commissioned 31 December 1944, Lt. Comdr. Joseph B. Fyffe in command. The ship was in Tokyo Bay, carrying journalists to and from the USS Missouri, when Japan signed the surrender papers ending the war in September 1945.
From the Rutland (Vermont) Daily Herald on September 1, 1945
‘GOSSELIN’, NAMED FOR RUTLAND FAMILY
Gosselin’, Named For Rutland Family’s Kin, Brings Prisoners Back
The fast transport “Gosselin,” which was named in memory of Ensign Edward W. Gosselin, son of Edward N. Gosselin, a native Rutlander, now of Joliet, Illinois, was one of three ships which began the evacuation Thursday of the first groups of Allied prisoners of war held by the Japanese, including some 8,000 Americans, according to a dispatch which originated near Tokyo. Ensign Gosselin was killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941, when an aerial bomb hit the battleship Arizona. The “USS Gosselin” was christened in his honor on May 4, 1944. Two brothers of Ensign Gosselin are now in the service: Ensign James W. Gosselin, who is on one of the ships going to Tokyo for the signing of the peace terms, and Cadet-Midshipman John W. Gosselin, who will graduate from the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, in October. The young men are grandsons of Mrs. Napoleon Gosselin of Granger Street and have often visited this city.
DOB/DOD: May 23, 1921 (Norwich, CT) – December 7, 1941; 20 years old MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried LOCAL ADDRESS:16 St. Regis Avenue, Norwich ENLISTMENT: October 16, 1939 SERVICE NUMBER: 2072034 SHIP ASSIGNED TO: USS Arizona (BB-39)
FAMILY: Born to Cornelius (1894-1983) and Agnes Myesky Carlson (1902-1980). One brother, Raymond (1918-2011), and one sister, Joyce O. Carlson Johannessen (1931-2015).
Letter home from Harry “Bud” Carlson to his brother Ray. Letter contributed in 2020 by Rosalyn Lachapelle, niece to Harry Carlson.
October 17, 1941~~Dear Ray, Tho it has been some time since you last wrote, it was good to hear from you. If you think finding time to write, etc., is difficult for you, picture my plight. Of course, I understand that you have social obligations & that does occupy a lot of time. As for me, while here in the islands, I very seldom go ashore, obtaining my entertainment from the nightly movies, books, & letters. I can honestly state that in the interval we’ve been here, about nine or ten months, excluding our two weeks in Long Beach, I haven`t been ashore more than fifteen or twenty liberties. Pretty boresome, what!!! The grand shore sides experienced in the states more than make up for these monotonous months of Hawaii. I’ve plenty to tell you in regard to those days, but they`ll wait till I see you. I guess you would be surprised at the change in me, & I see things quite differently from my civilian days. Physically, I haven’t noticed much change. At one time I weighed a hundred seventy-five, but my inactivity as an office man & the excessive heat have dwindled me down to the one sixties. As soon as I make 2nd class, I’m going to concentrate on bringing my health up to par. Yes, I heard about your new occupation. It is a greater asset to better health & I can well understand your preference for it. Look, Ray, I’m not built for lectures, but if you like your job, stick with it, & try hard for promotion. Don`t be content to remain a laborer but rather strive for a foreman job. Work hard, keep your nose clean, & try to understand the principles of the gang’s activity. Promotions are a bug with all of us sailors. We know we can get them if we stay with it. Remember I started my naval career with the rate of apprentice seaman ($21.00), became seaman 2/6 (my note, not sure what that is) automatically in four months ($36.00) in ten months, was seaman 1/6 ($54.00) & six months later SK3/6 ($60.00) & eligible for SK2/6 ($72.00 plus a $35.00 rental allowance in the event I marry). You see how they tantalize us with the promise of promotion & spur us on. Well, I hope you have better luck with the hunting than you did with the fishing. I sure would like to go tramping thru the woods with you with a wary eye cocked for the game. It was a surprise to hear of Francis Cole’s marriage, & I expect quite a few of my friends will have been married by the time I get home. Looks like I won’t be acquainted with any single girls. When does Langlois expect to tie the marital knot with Helen? I don’t remember the girls you mentioned. I’m a great one to forget names. Sure, I’d be glad to drop them a line. You’ve neglected, however, to tell me their address. Send it next letter if you can get it. So Chet is home for good now! I’d like to see the old boy again. He was my best pal for skipping school with. By the by, are the lads as girl shy as ever?? Ask them to drop me a line occasionally & I promise to answer immediately. If none of those cusses want to write, I’ll be mighty close with my liquor on seeing them again. Hey, how are you doing with those new neighbors Mother mentioned so long ago?? Are they good-looking?? Built??? Write me more often, Ray, & I’ll scare up an old liberty to relay to you. I’m smothered in unanswered mail now, so I haven’t the time to tell any of this letter. Until I hear from you then. The Kid brother, Bud P.S. Love to the family!! P.P.S. Yesterday was my 2nd anniversary in the Navy.
Report of Changes, USS Arizona, February 28, 1941, promotion to Storekeeper Third Class
Harry Ludwig “Bud” Carlson’s father served in the Navy during World War I and he wanted to follow in his footsteps. Bud graduated from Norwich Free Academy in Connecticut in 1939 and enlisted that October. His dream had been to attend the Naval Academy, his niece Rosalyn Carlson LaChapelle said. Born in Norwich to Cornelius Eskil Carlson, a streetcar conductor, and Agnes Myesky Carlson, a homemaker. Bud’s brother, Raymond, served in the Army Air Corps in World War II. Source: Special thanks to Bobbie Jo Carter, the University of Arizona for the contribution
DOB/DOD: July 22, 1916 (Massachusetts) – December 8, 1941; 26 years old MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried LOCAL ADDRESS: Noroton Avenue, Noroton Heights, Darien ENLISTMENT: Commissioned upon graduation from the Naval Academy in June 1938 SHIP ASSIGNED TO: USS Enterprise (CV-6), Fighter Squadron Six
FAMILY: Born to Eric Allen [Navy veteran] (1880-1951) and Sarah Rogers Allen (1883-1940). Two brothers, James [Navy veteran] (1918-2002) and Benjamin D. (1926-1989). Two sisters Sarah C. Allen Manley (1919-2012) and Patricia Allen Close Tregenza (1922-1984).
ERIC ALLEN, JR.; Manchester, VT; “Ethan” Photo courtesy of navylog.NavyMemorial.org.
ERIC ALLEN, JR.; Manchester, VT; “Ethan”The Green Mountains lost another good Republican when Eric came to Annapolis. He admits he was headed for the ministry but finished by casting his lot with Uncle Sam and has not regretted his choice. An infectious grin and an irrepressible sense of humor put him at ease anywhere, and though self-styled a misogynist, he has always been ready to drag for a friend. Well known for his famed shower rendition of “Danny Deever,” nevertheless, he has a pleasing voice, and choir and Glee Club always found him present. Around the pool, Eric and unorthodox dives were synonymous, but the sub-squad remembers him as the easiest man to save. Always a good roommate, even to his last clean gloves – may we someday be shipmates. Water Polo 4, 3, 2; Boat Club 1; Glee Club 4, 3, 2, 1; Musical Clubs 4, 2, 1; M.P.O.
Prior to his assignment on the USS Enterprise, Lt Allen saved a fellow pilot off the coast of San Diego in June of 1941.
From The Rutland (Vermont) Daily Herald June 10, 1941
(Special to the Herald) MANCHESTER, June 9 – News of the heroic rescue yesterday of a fellow Navy flyer, who had crashed at sea off the California coast, by Ensign Eric Allen Jr., formerly of Manchester (VT), has reached friends in the vicinity. According to the information received here, Ensign Allen swam some 300 yards through breakers to rescue Lieutenant F.T. Corbin, who had crashed into the sea off the North Island Air Station near San Diego. Ensign Allen, aloft in another plane, saw the accident and hastily landed his craft on North Island. Plunging into the surf, he swam to the scene and brought Lieutenant Corbin back to shore, uninjured. Ensign Allen is the son of the Reverend Eric Allen Sr., former pastor of the Congregational Church of Manchester. He graduated from Burr & Burton Seminary and from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1938.
From FindAGrave.com: Eric served as a Lieutenant Junior Grade and pilot of an F4F 6-F-12 Wildcat, Fighter Squadron Six, USS Enterprise (CV-6), U.S. Navy during World War II. He resided in Fairfield County, Connecticut, prior to the war.
Killed by friendly fire hours after the attack. During the attack on Pearl Harbor while with the USS Enterprise, which was at sea and not at Pearl Harbor, dispatched a force of Six Wildcats which escorted a strike force consisting of 18 Torpedo Six TBDs, and six VB-6 Dauntlesses fitted with smoke generators to mask the TBDs as they approached their targets. Their mission was to locate Japanese Aircraft carriers that had launched the attack on Pearl and engage them.
Unable to locate the Japanese 18 Torpedo Six TBDs and the six VB-6 Dauntlesses were told to return to the Enterprise. The six Wildcats were directed to continue on to Pearl Harbor and render any assistance as necessary.
As the 6 Wildcats approached Hickam Field near Pearl Harbor, their arrival there triggered a panic, even though the message of their arrival was repeatedly broadcast, and they were fired upon by ground anti-aircraft fire. After being shot while still in his aircraft, Lt Allen bailed out at a low altitude over Pearl Harbor and suffered internal injuries. He landed in the oily water near the minesweeper Viero (AM-52).
Incredibly and with an indomitable spirit, Allen was able to swim, making his way in great pain through the oil and debris past the crippled battleship USS California toward Ford Island. At the Naval Academy, from which he graduated in 1938, he had been a strong swimmer. As he passed the minesweeper USS Viero (AM-52), sailors pulled Allen from the oily water and rushed him to the naval dispensary. Only when they tried to clean the fuel oil from him did they realize he had been struck by a bullet. By that time, it was too late, and LtJG Eric Allen died at 2:00 a.m. on December 8th. After his death, he was buried in Halawa Naval Cemetery on Oahu but was later laid to final rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The fate of the other five pilots:
Ensign Herbert H. Menges (1917-1941) immediately fell victim to the anti-aircraft fire and crashed. He has since been noted as the first Naval fighter pilot to die during World War II.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Francis F. Hebel‘s (1912-1941) fighter was shot down next and crashed near Wheeler Field. He had suffered a skull fracture during the crash and died.
Ensign James G. Daniels III (1915-2004) was the only one of the six airmen to land on an airfield proper (Ford Island Naval Air Station).
Ensign Gayle Hermann (1914-1942) landed on a small golf course on Ford Island. Missing In Action after a plane crash on May 25, 1942.
Ensign David Flynn‘s (1914-1983) F4F apparently ran out of fuel, forcing him to parachute into a cane field near Barbers Point.
With a loss of three pilots and four aircraft, December 7, 1941, saw VF-6’s worst casualties through June 1942. David Flynn and James Daniels both survived the war
From The Norwalk Hour December 15, 1941
Lieutenant Eric Allen Jr., son of Mrs. Eric Allen of Noroton Avenue, Noroton Heights, formerly of Rowayton, was killed in service with the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Mrs. Allen was notified by telegram by the Navy Department. He died in action in the recent Japanese attack. A graduate of Annapolis, where another brother, James, will receive his commission on December 19th. Lieutenant Allen was 26. His family has made their home in Noroton Heights for two years, coming to Noroton Heights from Rowayton. The family had previously lived in Manchester, New Hampshire. Lieutenant Allen is survived by his parents, his father being located on the West Coast; two sisters, Miss Sally Allen, a member of the Daycroft School faculty; Miss Patricia Allen of Noroton Heights; and two brothers, James Allen, now at the United States Naval Academy, and Benjamin Allen, a student at Deerfield Academy. Webmaster Note: Lt Allen lived in Manchester, Vermont, not New Hampshire.
Allen – O’Neill Drive in Darien, Connecticut, is partially named in his honor.
Lieutenant JG Allen is buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, 2177 Puowaina Drive, Honolulu, Hawaii; Section C, Plot 1649. Photo courtesy of FindAGrave.com.
