Becoming an historian after retiring from the USN opened my Dad. I was a young teen when I finally heard details. He was on two ships that were sunk, the Hornet at Santa Rosa Sound and Lexington, don't recall where she was sunk. He studied the battles later from an academic perspective and it gave him a sort of peace to be able to learn his place in the greater scheme of things.

His favorite story was in recommending a sailor for Chief Petty Officer. The man was an American Indian from the Dakota's, I think. Anyway, the newly advanced CPO told my dad that his folks would understand his being made a chief.

A few years ago a former subordinate of Dad's sent me some pages from the Deck Log of the Hornet when my dad was OOD. Most of the info was routine recording of sped and course changes. Later he wrote of the Japanese planes being spotted 40 or 50 miles out and sounding General Quarters. Then his GQ relief is logged and my Dad went to his duty station. Having been a sailor myself, reading those pages from brought my Dad to life as a 24 year-old Lt.

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