As the captain of the basketball and football teams of Gardner High School in Gardner, North Dakota, it was natural for John Marvin Emery to become the captain of the USS Arizona's football team. Jack, as he was known to his family and friends, also made the first Navy team, which played frequently at Pearl Harbor.
Gunner's Mate third class John Emery was born in the small town of Gardner on April 26, 1919, to Carl, a farmer, and Sweden-born Freda, a housewife who was proud of her American citizenship. He was the oldest brother to Carl "Bob" Robert, Betty Anne, Helen, Esther and Jean.
The population of Gardner was 103 when John Marvin enlisted in the U.S. Navy and boarded the USS Arizona from Naval Training Station Great Lakes, Illinois, in March of 1940. As a Gunner's Mate 3/c his duties were to take charge of gun and crew, assemble and fire all types of guns, and handle ammunition, mines and depth chargers.
Mr. Emery's sister Betty remembered her big brother sending her $10 from boot camp, which led her to spend a full day shopping for a red dress and a pair of shoes. His last letter to Betty was postmarked October 17, 1941, and asked if their mother still did not have a washing machine. He wanted to surprise her with one for Christmas. He also wrote that he was heading out to sea but would return to port in November, and that he would probably be home for Christmas.
Gunner's Mate 3/c Emery was on board the USS Arizona when Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor in the early morning hours of Sunday, December 7, 1941. He and 1,176 men on the ship died.
In 1942, Mr. Emery's younger brother Bob was drafted into the Army. Congress had not yet passed the law forbidding the sole surviving son from being drafted. He was killed in June 1944 in the Normandy invasion. He was 23 years old when he died.
Parents Carl and Freda both died in the late 1960's. The tombstone bears the name "Emery" across the top. On the lower half, in between the words "Mother Freda A." and "Father Carl C." is engraved the words "Son John M." Bob Emery's grave is nearby. They are together once again in memory.
Sources: The Fargo Forum; USSArizona.org/index; USS Arizona muster roll; 1920 United States Census; 1940 United States Census; ancestry.com; grave markers at Nora Cemetery in Gardner, N.D.; Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Special thanks to Marie Pavini Martin, who researched and wrote this profile on behalf of the U.S.S. Arizona Mall Memorial at the University of Arizona. Her uncle, Bruno Pavini, was among the 1,177 men killed on the Arizona.
Gunner's Mate third class John Emery was born in the small town of Gardner on April 26, 1919, to Carl, a farmer, and Sweden-born Freda, a housewife who was proud of her American citizenship. He was the oldest brother to Carl "Bob" Robert, Betty Anne, Helen, Esther and Jean.
The population of Gardner was 103 when John Marvin enlisted in the U.S. Navy and boarded the USS Arizona from Naval Training Station Great Lakes, Illinois, in March of 1940. As a Gunner's Mate 3/c his duties were to take charge of gun and crew, assemble and fire all types of guns, and handle ammunition, mines and depth chargers.
Mr. Emery's sister Betty remembered her big brother sending her $10 from boot camp, which led her to spend a full day shopping for a red dress and a pair of shoes. His last letter to Betty was postmarked October 17, 1941, and asked if their mother still did not have a washing machine. He wanted to surprise her with one for Christmas. He also wrote that he was heading out to sea but would return to port in November, and that he would probably be home for Christmas.
Gunner's Mate 3/c Emery was on board the USS Arizona when Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor in the early morning hours of Sunday, December 7, 1941. He and 1,176 men on the ship died.
In 1942, Mr. Emery's younger brother Bob was drafted into the Army. Congress had not yet passed the law forbidding the sole surviving son from being drafted. He was killed in June 1944 in the Normandy invasion. He was 23 years old when he died.
Parents Carl and Freda both died in the late 1960's. The tombstone bears the name "Emery" across the top. On the lower half, in between the words "Mother Freda A." and "Father Carl C." is engraved the words "Son John M." Bob Emery's grave is nearby. They are together once again in memory.
Sources: The Fargo Forum; USSArizona.org/index; USS Arizona muster roll; 1920 United States Census; 1940 United States Census; ancestry.com; grave markers at Nora Cemetery in Gardner, N.D.; Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Special thanks to Marie Pavini Martin, who researched and wrote this profile on behalf of the U.S.S. Arizona Mall Memorial at the University of Arizona. Her uncle, Bruno Pavini, was among the 1,177 men killed on the Arizona.
As the captain of the basketball and football teams of Gardner High School in Gardner, North Dakota, it was natural for John Marvin Emery to become the captain of the USS Arizona's football team. Jack, as he was known to his family and friends, also made the first Navy team, which played frequently at Pearl Harbor.
Gunner's Mate third class John Emery was born in the small town of Gardner on April 26, 1919, to Carl, a farmer, and Sweden-born Freda, a housewife who was proud of her American citizenship. He was the oldest brother to Carl "Bob" Robert, Betty Anne, Helen, Esther and Jean.
The population of Gardner was 103 when John Marvin enlisted in the U.S. Navy and boarded the USS Arizona from Naval Training Station Great Lakes, Illinois, in March of 1940. As a Gunner's Mate 3/c his duties were to take charge of gun and crew, assemble and fire all types of guns, and handle ammunition, mines and depth chargers.
Mr. Emery's sister Betty remembered her big brother sending her $10 from boot camp, which led her to spend a full day shopping for a red dress and a pair of shoes. His last letter to Betty was postmarked October 17, 1941, and asked if their mother still did not have a washing machine. He wanted to surprise her with one for Christmas. He also wrote that he was heading out to sea but would return to port in November, and that he would probably be home for Christmas.
Gunner's Mate 3/c Emery was on board the USS Arizona when Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor in the early morning hours of Sunday, December 7, 1941. He and 1,176 men on the ship died.
In 1942, Mr. Emery's younger brother Bob was drafted into the Army. Congress had not yet passed the law forbidding the sole surviving son from being drafted. He was killed in June 1944 in the Normandy invasion. He was 23 years old when he died.
Parents Carl and Freda both died in the late 1960's. The tombstone bears the name "Emery" across the top. On the lower half, in between the words "Mother Freda A." and "Father Carl C." is engraved the words "Son John M." Bob Emery's grave is nearby. They are together once again in memory.
Sources: The Fargo Forum; USSArizona.org/index; USS Arizona muster roll; 1920 United States Census; 1940 United States Census; ancestry.com; grave markers at Nora Cemetery in Gardner, N.D.; Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Special thanks to Marie Pavini Martin, who researched and wrote this profile on behalf of the U.S.S. Arizona Mall Memorial at the University of Arizona. Her uncle, Bruno Pavini, was among the 1,177 men killed on the Arizona.
Gunner's Mate third class John Emery was born in the small town of Gardner on April 26, 1919, to Carl, a farmer, and Sweden-born Freda, a housewife who was proud of her American citizenship. He was the oldest brother to Carl "Bob" Robert, Betty Anne, Helen, Esther and Jean.
The population of Gardner was 103 when John Marvin enlisted in the U.S. Navy and boarded the USS Arizona from Naval Training Station Great Lakes, Illinois, in March of 1940. As a Gunner's Mate 3/c his duties were to take charge of gun and crew, assemble and fire all types of guns, and handle ammunition, mines and depth chargers.
Mr. Emery's sister Betty remembered her big brother sending her $10 from boot camp, which led her to spend a full day shopping for a red dress and a pair of shoes. His last letter to Betty was postmarked October 17, 1941, and asked if their mother still did not have a washing machine. He wanted to surprise her with one for Christmas. He also wrote that he was heading out to sea but would return to port in November, and that he would probably be home for Christmas.
Gunner's Mate 3/c Emery was on board the USS Arizona when Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor in the early morning hours of Sunday, December 7, 1941. He and 1,176 men on the ship died.
In 1942, Mr. Emery's younger brother Bob was drafted into the Army. Congress had not yet passed the law forbidding the sole surviving son from being drafted. He was killed in June 1944 in the Normandy invasion. He was 23 years old when he died.
Parents Carl and Freda both died in the late 1960's. The tombstone bears the name "Emery" across the top. On the lower half, in between the words "Mother Freda A." and "Father Carl C." is engraved the words "Son John M." Bob Emery's grave is nearby. They are together once again in memory.
Sources: The Fargo Forum; USSArizona.org/index; USS Arizona muster roll; 1920 United States Census; 1940 United States Census; ancestry.com; grave markers at Nora Cemetery in Gardner, N.D.; Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Special thanks to Marie Pavini Martin, who researched and wrote this profile on behalf of the U.S.S. Arizona Mall Memorial at the University of Arizona. Her uncle, Bruno Pavini, was among the 1,177 men killed on the Arizona.
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