Jewel W.Rumfelt (Rumy)

Jewel W.Rumfelt (Rumy)

CRM

I was born in Arnett, Oklahoma on January 28, 1918. We moved to Montana in 1928. I signed up at the Navy Recruiting Station in Billings, Montana and was sworn in. After the final examinations at the Navy Recruiting Station at Salt Lake City, Utah on January 24, 1941, I went via train to San Diego Navy Training Station for Boot Camp and Radio Operator School.

In August 1941,1 was assigned to the U.S.S. Lexington (CV-2) which was anchored in the bay. As our motor launch came alongside, I swear, I had never seen anything so huge. We sailed to Pearl Harbor, which was to be our home port. We left Pearl Harbor on Friday, December 5th for training exercises. (We were that close to the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor.) On May 8, 1942, the Lexington was sunk in the battle with the Japanese in the Coral Sea.

We survivors went aboard two troop transports for the trip from the Tonga Islands to the Destroyer Base at San Diego for reoutfitting. From there, I was assigned to the U.S.S. Nassau, which was being completed in the Bremerton shipyards.

I went aboard the Nassau in July 1942, several weeks before she was commissioned and sent out on the shakedown cruise. I don't remember the Division, but I was in the Radio gang which copied coded messages. Our major action was the battle for the Island of Attu, in the Aleutian chain, in the Bering Sea. The water was so rough, the mess tables were not setup, so we'd just go through the chow line and sit on the deck to eat. The coffee pot was hung from the overhead, so it was quite a challenge to fill your cup as the ship fought the huge waves.

I left the Nassau in November 1944, at San Diego. I was assigned to the Santa Ana Naval Air Station which flew blimps up and down the coast on submarine patrol. This assignment was a near "Paradise" as I ever hoped to experience in military service. My next ship was the U.S.S. Breckenridge (AP-176) which transported troops to and from the west coast to Japan and Korea.

Out of the eleven years in the Navy, I had 28 months stateside shore duty. So in January 1952 I told the Navy, "I quit." I was discharged at Treasure Island, California as CRM. Eight months later, I joined the U.S.A.F., retiring in October 1962 with 21 years total service.

After retiring from the military, I was a letter carrier for the Post Office in Aurora, Colorado for 21 years.

Fran and I were married at the Chapel on Hamilton, AFB in California, in 1953, on Valentine's Day. She had two children from a prior marriage. We have five grandchildren, and at least one 1943 and underwent Naval training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center.

The following are some of my memories while aboard the U.S.S. Nassau. When we returned, from Brisbane, Australia to the U.S., we were ordered to Mare Island (Vallejo, California) for repair, before returning to sea duty. I was a clear moonlit evening. I returned to the ship early for at 17 drinking for me was out of the question. So it was in the cards, and besides the town was quite a distance for those on foot, and I was better off to return to the ship.

I changed my clothing, from dress blues to navy dungarees and chambray shirt and proceeded to the after sponson and watch as the sailors returned to the ship to come aboard from the forward gangway. There were three sailors lagging behind. One was very drunk and the other two much have decided to get him aboard somehow, as the consequences of being drunk and not capable to ambulate on ones own power was very serious, and brig time could ensue.

They approached the after sponson, as it was low in the water and away from the forward part of the ship. We were hailed by them, and asked to find a line somewhere onboard and try to haul the one that was drunk onto the sponson. We found a line, tossed it down to them, and lashed one end to the metal spar. After they had him grab the line, we began to pull him up. When he was about half way up, he let go of the line and fell into the water. He was quite heavy, 230 pounds or so. The water must have sobered him up somewhat. So, on the second try we were successful and brought him onboard safely. I'll never forget that moment in time, so long ago, "The baptism of Cook Skaags." We had great laughs, over this incident, when at sea in the following months. In April 1946, I was discharged from the Navy.

I married Edna Alice Komulainen of Wolfe Lake, Minnesota (Becker County) on December 1, 1945 in Inglewood, California. Edna was a Navy qualified riveter for North American Aircraft in Inglewood. We have five sons, one daughter and eight grandchildren.

In 1950 I graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth with a degree in Textile Engineering.

I retired in 1981 and moved from Albert Lea, Minnesota to Arizona.