Jack was on the S.S. Gregory Navy destroyer ship, Pacific Theater during World War II. On August 7, 1942, the ship landed Marines during the invasion of Guadalcanal and Rulagi, in the southern Solomon Islands. For the next month, she provided transport and other support services in the area. On the night of September 4th, 1942, while patrolling off Guadalcanals's Lunga Point in company with USS Little, she encountered a greatly superior force of Japanese destroyers. In a brief, intense and very one-sided battle, Gregory was riddled with enemy gunfire and soon sank. Jack was adrift in the ocean for days. All but eleven men were rescued. He was sent to the Navel Hospital in Norco, California and met Louise Simmons there. She and her mother worked in the food department at the hospital and he worked in the Diet Kitchen.
Jack had a nice personality and a big grin, was a sweet boy, nice looking, obedient, trusting and mannerly, according to his uncle Darrell King. He was very clean about his person and dressed nicely. He was a chef in the Ft. Wayne (IN) Country Club and became the personal chef for the Governor of Ohio.
Jack was on the S.S. Gregory Navy destroyer ship, Pacific Theater during World War II. On August 7, 1942, the ship landed Marines during the invasion of Guadalcanal and Rulagi, in the southern Solomon Islands. For the next month, she provided transport and other support services in the area. On the night of September 4th, 1942, while patrolling off Guadalcanals's Lunga Point in company with USS Little, she encountered a greatly superior force of Japanese destroyers. In a brief, intense and very one-sided battle, Gregory was riddled with enemy gunfire and soon sank. Jack was adrift in the ocean for days. All but eleven men were rescued. He was sent to the Navel Hospital in Norco, California and met Louise Simmons there. She and her mother worked in the food department at the hospital and he worked in the Diet Kitchen.
Jack had a nice personality and a big grin, was a sweet boy, nice looking, obedient, trusting and mannerly, according to his uncle Darrell King. He was very clean about his person and dressed nicely. He was a chef in the Ft. Wayne (IN) Country Club and became the personal chef for the Governor of Ohio.
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