Folk Life Editor
My father, John Newton Brummet, Jr. [I'm his namesake] enlisted in the army when he was about 17. He was honorably discharged sometime before World War II began. After war was declared, he enlisted in the Navy, according to his notes, on August 26, 1942, about nine months following Pearl Harbor. Following his notes, he sailed from Alaska to the South Pacific, and visited many of the hotspots of the war against Japan. It would be fascinating to know more about his adventures, but alas, he died at the age of 42 in 1964. This Bluejacket's Manual is one of the very few artifacts of his I possess.
John Brummet clowning in the army
Even though he dropped out of school in the 8th grade, his penmanship far surpasses mine, despite having graduated from college. Different times, for sure. His notes in the manual start on the flyleaf, and continue for four pages. He first lists his family's addresses, and then every location he visited. The last page, facing the title page, lists each ship he was on during the war. I am guessing he kept notes partly because he was bored, and because you were not allowed to disclose either your ship, or your locations in letters. I transcribed the writing as best I could, but several references are too garbled to verify.
As always, click the images to enlarge.
He lists where he was stationed at the time he started making notes in his manual. He then lists the addresses of his two brothers--Gould and Romey. Romey was not drafted and did not enlist (I think I remember he was 4F maybe?] He lists his parents last-- with addresses in both Laramie, Wyoming (where my dad grew up) and one address in Everett, Wash., where they seem to have moved sometime during the war. At the bottom of the page, he writes out his hometown Laramie, Wy. again.
He writes other notes, and starts listing the sites and countries he visits:
John Newton Brummet Jr.
Armed Guard Center Pacific
Gould B. Brummet
Co. J. 378th Inf. Camp Swift. Texas
Romey J. Brummet
2423 East 13th St.
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Mr. and Mrs. J.N. Brummet [yes, I am the namesake of a namesake, or the 3rd]
2606 Rockefeller
Everett, Wash.
506 Canby Street
Laramie, Wyoming
Laramie, Wy.
[next page]
U.S. Navy
Johnny Brummet
Enlisted August 26, 1942
Discharged
A.G.C. Pac.
San Francisco
What a day --
Jap. German War
5-8-43 [not sure what the significance of this date is, or why it is out of sequence]
Dutch Harbor A. [Alaska]
November 31 - 1942
Kodiak Dec. 7. 1942
Pearl Harbor
Jan 1 1943
Pearl Harbor [Hawaii]
Feb 18 1943
Oahu Hawaii
Honolulu Hawaii
March 30 1943
Equator June 24 -43
Habert Tasmania
July 15 43
Freemantle ?? [Austrailia] Aug. 1
New Hebrides [a group of islands that became independent in 1980, after years of British and French rule. It is now the nation of Vanuatu.]
January 12 1944
22 years old 1-27-44
[garbled -- trip?]
December 24 - 43
Espiritu Santo [this was the largest island in the New Hebrides/Vanuatu]
[garbled] Pallukula Bay? Pollupula Bay?
42 [garbled]
Russell Isl. [note: in South Queens Land Australia
March
[next page]
Guadalcanal
March 1 44
[garbled -- Could See Salvo?? - Lulogii??? - I can't find references to these]
[garbled] Site Bay NH [New Hebrides]
Havanna Harbor NH
Aukland NZ [Nw Zealand]
April 24
Fila New Hebrides
[garbled - Pallukula Bay??]
30 Days
Guadal. May 13
Pearl Harbor Aug. 14 44
Eniwetok Aug 24 44 [one of the Marshall Islands and the sight of savage battles]
Saipan Sept 14 44
Marshall Isl. Oct. 1 44
Fensehhaven?? New Guinea [there IS a Finchhaven New Guinea]
Nov 24 44
[entry completely garbled]
[second column on this page]
Eniwetok March 16-45
Ulithia March 20-45
Pallau March 23-45
Manilla Philippines March 31-45
Eniwetok May 3-45
Manilla June 29-45
Palawan P.I. (Phillipine Islands) 7-15-45
Manilla Luzon 7-20-45
Palawan P.I. 7-13-45 (??)
Leyte P.I. 8-19-45
SS J Fletcher Ferrall
11-2-44 - 5-27-43SS Charles D. Postom
6-1-43 - 9-15-43
SS Mathew B, Bready
10-25-43 - 11-17-43
SS Lawrence Gianelli
12-14-43 - 7-9-44
MV Cape Florida
8-24-44 - 1-27-45
SS Sea Shark
2-20-45
---o0o---
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