ROBERT H. MANKE, born April 25, 1927 in Portage, WI, joined the USN April 17, 1945. After boot camp at Great Lakes he took a troop train to go aboard the Washington at Bremerton, WA, assigned to S. Div.

He spent a short time in the Pacific and went through the Panama Canal to Philadelphia for Navy Day October 1945. They made two trips to England to bring troops back to the US.

One of the more memorable was the second trip in December 1945 when Gen. Patton was to come aboard, but he was killed in France. On the trip a severe storm was encountered and according to reports at the time, swells were recorded 100 feet.

After leaving the USS Washington he was transferred to the USS Wyoming where it was a privilege to serve with a future President, Jimmy Carter. At the present time he is a hobby farmer in Coming, IA.

JOHN C. "MARCINKOSKA" MARLIN, born June 17, 1924 in Murphysboro, IL, joined the Naval Air Corps in June 1942 and was a member of Carrier Air Group VBF-83. He flew F4U Corsairs from the carrier USS Essex and participated in the Okinawa campaign and actions against the home islands.

His Corsair was hit by anti-aircraft fire on March 27, 1945 and he ditched off the Okinawa coast. A King fisher from the Washington flown by Lt. William E. Lemos and his rear seat man, Henry G. Offney, rescued Marlin. He served on the Washington for 24 hours before being returned to the Essex.

Marlin was discharged in October 1945 as a lieutenant (jg). He was awarded the Air Medal w/5 Gold Stars and the Distinguished Flying Cross w/Star.

He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1949 with a BS in mechanical engineering. His family name was changed to Marlin in 1956. He worked for Caterpillar Tractor and International Harvester until retirement. He married Odelia M., born Aug. 14, 1948. They have nine children, four son, five daughters and 17 grandchildren. John died Aug. 4, 1996.

ROBERT K. MARSHALL, WT2, born April 20, 1922 in Araphaoe, NE and moved to Clay Center, KS at the age of three months. He joined the USN Sept. 22, 1942 in Kansas City, MO and went to San Diego, CA For boot training. Shipped out of Frisco and sent to Noumea, New Caledonia and boarded the USS Washington, assigned to B Div. in fireroom #2. He had a lot of fun crawling into boilers and cleaning the tubes. He was aboard when the collision with the Indiana occurred, just off 12 to 4 a.m. watch, in fireroom asleep behind the shaft; went out and helped fire the boilers.

Marshall was discharged Oct. 13, 1945 as a WT2. He received 12 Battle Stars, Good Conduct, Asiatic Pacific, European and African Campaign Medals.

He married high school sweetheart Irene Spellman. They have one daughter, one son, four granddaughters, one grandson, and one great-grandson.

He went into business as an electrical contractor with his father and brother.

ARNOLD RALPH MARTIN, SF2/C, born Sept. 18, 1918 in Enough, MO and joined the USN Nov. 7, 1939 as shipfitter.

He was stationed NTS Great Lakes, IL, USS Mississippi; R/S NYD Philadelphia, PA; USS Washington; Rec. Ship, San Francisco, CA; NAV REP Base, San Diego, CA; USNH, San Diego, CA.

He was awarded the FAME Area Ribbon, American Defense Ribbon, Good Conduct Ribbon, American Area Ribbon, Philippine Liberation Ribbon, Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon and Victory Ribbon.

Martin was discharged Nov. 6, 1945. After he was discharged from the USN he went to work as a meat cutter for Krogers. He worked there for 20 years. Due to a bad car accident in 1969, he had to give that job up. He formed his own real estate office and worked at that until he retired. When he found himself with too much time on his hand, he worked part-time as an usher, at these major league activities. In 1991 he developed kidney cancer and fought that battle for three years. He was on dialysis for a year, and died June 19, 1994.

He married Josephine Boscia and had seven children: Ronald, Dennis, Gary, twins David and Donald, Susan and Kathleen and grandchildren: Matthew, Michael, Nicholas, Billy, Brooke, Jennifer and Jill.

WILLIAM HEFLEY MARTIN, son of John Marshall Martin Sr. and Luella Hetley Martin, was born April 16, 1922 at Martin, TN. He was commissioned with the rank of Ensign in the USNR V-12 Program at Fort Schuyler, NY, after attending the US Naval Academy for several months.

Active WWII duty included service aboard the USS Washington from July 1945 to May 1946 in various gunnery divisions, and was division officer of a 40 MM battery division. His active World War II duty included service in the American Theater, Asiatic-Pacific Theater and the European Theater. He was awarded the World War II Victory Medal. On April 21, 1959 he was discharged from the Navy as a Lieutenant (jg).

He attended the University of Louisville and graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in business administration: including some post graduate courses. On Dec. 4, 1954, he married Mary Margaret Murray, formerly of Pikeville, KY. They had three children: Cheryl Ann, Debra Kay and Barbara Jane and two grandchildren: Laura Porter and Adalan Collins.

After his retirement from federal service in 1990, he and Mary Margaret traveled extensively in Europe, South America, Alaska and other states. They resided in Birmingham. AL and were lifelong members of the Methodist Church. He was a Scottish Rite Shriner and was affiliated with the Zamora Temple in Birmingham. He has been a longtime member of the American Legion and a member of the VFW. He was born on Easter Sunday, and died on Palm Sunday, March 23, 1997.