World War II Navy Radio
Those Who Lived It
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Stories of Navy Radiomen


NOTE - This is a re-creation of Rob Flory's original site which crashed some time ago - unfortunately some photos are still missing but most of the text is here - if you can help with any replacement photos, please send e-mail to Rob or to Nick K4NYW

Click here for Nick's 1950's-60's Navy Radio Pages -  www.navy-radio.com

I have been fortunate to meet in person, on the air, and on the internet, a number of Navy Radiomen who have shared stories with me.  With their permission, I would like to share their stories with you.  I will also link to stories that others have published.

Chief Warrant Officer Willard Norman (Norm) Dalling Story by Rob Flory

RM William R (Bill) Morse Story

George Sallet wrote an excellent memoir of his time as an RM on the destroyer USS Bagley DD-386.  It has interesting anecdotes about gunning, as he served on a gun crew in addition to his radio duties, radio, and general life and combat on a destroyer.  Extracts are readable on the link below:
 

Click below to read Robert E. Straub's recollections as an RM aboard submarines during WWII.
 
 

Click here to visit www.kilroywashere.org and read RM3c Orus Kinney's story of jamming Nazi radio-controlled bombs.

 
US Marine Corps
 

 
Marine PFC Joe Rapp Story by Rob Flory

Just "Google" Navajo Code Talkers and you will find a wealth of information, both text and images, about these famous Marine Corps radio operators.  There are great shots of them posing with TBY and TBX radios.

The Naval Armed Guard
 
The Naval Armed Guard were US Navy personnel who served aboard Merchant Marine vessels, e.g. Liberty ships, as gunners, signalmen, and radiomen.  It was a tough duty, with the heaviest casualty rate in the Navy.  For general information about the Naval Armed Guard, visit:
 

Click here to see RM Arnold Lawson's log of his service as a Radioman in the Naval Armed Guard.

Merchant Marine

Click here to read Merchant Marine Radio Officer Joseph F. Nolan's account of being sunk while serving on the SS Benjamin Smith

Jim Farrior was a radio operator in the Civilian Conservation Corps, a commercial radiotelegraph operator, a radar technician in the Civilian Technical Corps(assisting the British before the USA joined as a combatant nation), a radio operator in the US Merchant Marine.  He has written a fun computer program for practicing Morse in various forms, and has written the story of his exploits as a radio operator.  Click below to visit his home page.
 

WAVES, Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service
 
I titled this page, "Those Who Lived It" because not all radiomen were men.  Women served as both Radiomen and Radio Officers.  Another cadre worked in code breaking.
 
WAVES Stories by Dr. Evelyn Cherpak, Naval War College