Here is the United States, today is Memorial Day. A day when we remember those who died while serving in the country's armed forces. Today I have the honor and opportunity to transcribe a few documents I have recently found for Kenneth Gay Brakke, F3c, USN, born 04 December 1920 in Seattle, Washington and died 07 December 1941, in Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, aboard the USS Arizona (BB-39) when it was bombed during the infamous surprise attack by Japanese military. Kenneth was entombed aboard this battleship when it was bombed.
Last Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 07 December 2016, I wrote an article about Kenneth, telling of his story that you are welcome to read. It is titled "Remembering Kenneth G. Brakke F3c, USN (1920-1941)" and can be found here. Kenneth was my late cousin Ed Ostrom's first cousin 1x removed and that relationship was further explained in this article.
Today's project for transcribing are U.S. Navy documents. Completed by clerks local to the action, these are reports that give information about the activities and movements of personnel. These are called Reports of Changes. While I found more records of this type, I chose some I feel are significant to the telling of Kenneth's naval service. The others are repetitive.
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| IMAGE 1: Report of Changes document of U.S.S. ARIZONA, 19 January 1941. Highlighting the entry for #27 Kenneth Brakke. From Fold3.com. [1] |
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Page 2
REPORT OF CHANGES
of U.S.S. Arizona
for the month ending 19th day of January, 1941, date of sailing
from BREMERTON, WASHINGTON to SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA
[top half]
1 NAMES 27 BRAKKE, Kenneth Gay
(Alphabetically arranged without regard to ratings, with surname to the left and the first name written in full)
2 SERVICE NUMBER 385 92 39
(The service number must under no condition be omitted)
3 RATING AS [Able Seaman]
(Rating at date of last report)
4. DATE OF ENLISTMENT 5 NOV. 40
5. PLACE OF ENLISTMENT Seattle, Washington
[bottom half]
6. Branch of Service USN [US Navy]
7, Received, transferred, deserted, discharged, change of rating, death, or any other change of status REC [Recruit]
8. Date of occurrences in column 7 11 [1/11/1941]
9. Vessel or station from which received, to what vessel or station transferred,where discharged and character of discharge; where deserted, and amount due or overpaid. Where died, cause of death and where and when buried. If rated and authority for same. If disrated, give cause; if on de-tached duty, give place of duty. If passenger, give purpose of travel and final destination. From RS San Diego, Calif. [RS = recruiting station]
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Page 76
REPORT OF CHANGES
of U.S.S. Arizona
for the month ending 31st day of March, 1941, date of sailing
from to
[top half]
1 NAMES 19 BRAKKE, Kenneth Gay
20 BRAKKE, Kenneth Gay
(Alphabetically arranged without regard to ratings, with surname to the left and the first name written in full)
2 SERVICE NUMBER 385 92 39
385 92 39
(The service number must under no condition be omitted)
3 RATING AS [Able Seaman]
Sea2c [Seaman Second Class]
(Rating at date of last report)
4. DATE OF ENLISTMENT 5 NOV. 40
5 Nov. 40
5. PLACE OF ENLISTMENT Seattle, Wash.
Seattle, Wash.
[bottom half]
6. Branch of Service USN [US Navy]
USN [US Navy]
7, Received, transferred, deserted, discharged, change of rating, death, or any other change of status CR [Change Rating]
CR [Change Rating]
8. Date of occurrences in column 7 5 [March 5]
25 [March 25]
9. Vessel or station from which received, to what vessel or station transferred,where discharged and character of discharge; where deserted, and amount due or overpaid. Where died, cause of death and where and when buried. If rated and authority for same. If disrated, give cause; if on de-tached duty, give place of duty. If passenger, give purpose of travel and final destination.
To Sea2c. AUTH: Art. D-5108(1), BuNav Man.
[Rating changed from Abel Seaman, to Seaman Second Class in accordance with Art. D-5108(1) Bureau of Navigation Manual.]
To F3c. AUTH: Art. D-5114(1)(a), BuNav Man
[Rating changed from Seaman Second Class, to Fireman Third Class in accordance with Art. D-5114(1)(a) Bureau of Navigation Manual.]
-------- transcription ends --------
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| IMAGE 1: Report of Changes document of U.S.S. ARIZONA, 31st December 1941. Highlighting the entry for #7 Kenneth Brakke. From Fold3.com. [3] |
-------- transcription begins --------
N. Nav. 5-b
(Jan. 1934)
Page 41
REPORT OF CHANGES
of U.S.S. Arizona
for the month ending 31st day of DECEMBER, 1941, date of sailing
from to
[top half]
1 NAMES 7 BRAKKE, Kenneth Gay.
(Alphabetically arranged without regard to ratings, with surname to the left and the first name written in full)
2 SERVICE NUMBER 385 92 39
(The service number must under no condition be omitted)
3 RATING F3c [Fireman Third Class]
(Rating at date of last report)
4. DATE OF ENLISTMENT 5 NOV. 40
5. PLACE OF ENLISTMENT Seattle, Washington
[bottom half]
6. Branch of Service USN [US Navy]
7, Received, transferred, deserted, discharged, change of rating, death, or any other change of status MISSING
8. Date of occurrences in column 7 7 [DECEMBER 1941]
9. Vessel or station from which received, to what vessel or station transferred,where discharged and character of discharge; where deserted, and amount due or overpaid. Where died, cause of death and where and when buried. If rated and authority for same. If disrated, give cause; if on de-tached duty, give place of duty. If passenger, give purpose of travel and final destination. Listed as "Missing" since action against enemy 12/7/1941 at Pearl Harbor, T.H. Next of kin not notified. [T.H.= Territory of Hawaii]
This form is to be submitted by commanding officers of all ships and stations, whenever any ship or station is commissioned or placed out of commission on the last day of each month showing all changes for the month for which submitted; also upon sailing port to another, by commanding officers of point of origin of transfer and point of destination of enlisted passengers.
4—6076
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
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| IMAGE: List of World War II Death Casualties from Washington State; Kenneth Gay Brakke on page 3, column 3. [4] |
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DEAD
WASHINGTON
3
BRAKKE, Kenneth Gay, Fireman
3c, USN. Father, Mr. Andrew
Brakke, 5528 Wallingford Ave.,
Seattle.
-------- transcription ends --------
SOURCES:
1. "Pearl Harbor Muster Rolls," Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : accessed 26 March 2017); U.S.S. Arizona, BB-39, January 19, 1941, Report of Changes, page 2, number 27 Kenneth Gay Brakke; citing National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 331, Muster rolls of ships based at Pearl Harbor, 1939-1947, Roll 416.
2. Ibid., March 31, 1941, Report of Changes, page 76, number 19 and 20 Kenneth Gay Brakke, Roll 416.
3. "WWII Navy Muster Rolls," Fold3.com (http://fold3.com : accessed March 26, 2017); U.S.S. Arizona, BB-39, December 31, 1941, Report of Changes, page 41 (167), number 7, Kenneth Gay Brakke, Citing National Archives and Records Administration, NARA Catalog ID: 594996, Muster rolls of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and other Naval activities, 01/01/1939-01/01/1949. Roll 32662-239119.
4. :"WWII Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualty List," Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : accessed 26 March 2017), Washington State, Dead, page 3, column 3, Kenneth Gay Brakke; citing National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 80, WWII war causalities for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel published from data originally within Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel (RG 24); Roll: Washington.
I had the good fortune to find these records on the website known for its many military records, Fold3. They were offering a free weekend to review their collection of World War II records. I took the opportunity and looked to see what was available for Kenneth.
I have very little knowledge of the usual military acronym use. Some of the abbreviations found in the above forms I tried to use a reasonable "guesstimate." The more difficult ones I used a quick google search. If a mistake was made, it is all mine. Please let me know how I should correct it, and I'll make an edit to this article.
Did you notice how soon Kenneth received changes in rank? The U.S.S. Arizona was his first and only permanent duty station, having arrived as an Able Seaman there and boarding the ship on January 11, 1941 from basic training. Then on 5 March 1941 he is promoted to Seaman 2nd Class, and quickly on 25 March, 1941 his is again promoted to Fireman 3rd Class. He must have done well to gain promotions so quickly. Good for him. I'll bet his family was proud.
I was saddened to read that Navy personnel working on the Report of Change dated 31 December 1941 thought that his next of kin had not been notified on him being missing in action. We know, because of a newspaper clipping from Seattle, that as early at 22 December 1941 his family had received official word, and they probably had guessed it earlier.
I am thankful this young man's willingness to serve our country, to do his part in keeping us safe. I am saddened that he lost his life so tragically and so young. I don't say it often enough, I want thank all of the men and women who serve our country in the military, looking to keep us safe.
Amanuensis Monday is a weekly blog theme that was started by John Newmark, the author of TransylvanianDutch blog. John defines Amanuensis as "A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another." I also appreciate the good work and format examples of San Diego genealogist Randy Seaver of the blog Genea-musings.Thanks guys.
Transcribing helps me to learn what a document contains. I have learned over time that I have a tendency to "skim" over an item; a bad trait for a researcher who needs to learn even the smallest details documented records contain. Transcribing helps me to slow down and "smell the flowers," and to capture all aspects of the paper in hand. It also gives me a better opportunity to share the document with you.
Thanks for stopping by today. Hope your Memorial Day weekend was good and makes a start for a great summer.
The URL for this post is: http://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2017/05/amanuensis-monday-naval-records-for.html.
Please comment regarding this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then use the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Or contact me by email at dsteff4246[at]gmail[dot]com. Thank you.
Copyright (c) 2017, Darlene M. Steffens
2. Ibid., March 31, 1941, Report of Changes, page 76, number 19 and 20 Kenneth Gay Brakke, Roll 416.
3. "WWII Navy Muster Rolls," Fold3.com (http://fold3.com : accessed March 26, 2017); U.S.S. Arizona, BB-39, December 31, 1941, Report of Changes, page 41 (167), number 7, Kenneth Gay Brakke, Citing National Archives and Records Administration, NARA Catalog ID: 594996, Muster rolls of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and other Naval activities, 01/01/1939-01/01/1949. Roll 32662-239119.
4. :"WWII Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualty List," Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : accessed 26 March 2017), Washington State, Dead, page 3, column 3, Kenneth Gay Brakke; citing National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 80, WWII war causalities for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel published from data originally within Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel (RG 24); Roll: Washington.
I had the good fortune to find these records on the website known for its many military records, Fold3. They were offering a free weekend to review their collection of World War II records. I took the opportunity and looked to see what was available for Kenneth.
I have very little knowledge of the usual military acronym use. Some of the abbreviations found in the above forms I tried to use a reasonable "guesstimate." The more difficult ones I used a quick google search. If a mistake was made, it is all mine. Please let me know how I should correct it, and I'll make an edit to this article.
Did you notice how soon Kenneth received changes in rank? The U.S.S. Arizona was his first and only permanent duty station, having arrived as an Able Seaman there and boarding the ship on January 11, 1941 from basic training. Then on 5 March 1941 he is promoted to Seaman 2nd Class, and quickly on 25 March, 1941 his is again promoted to Fireman 3rd Class. He must have done well to gain promotions so quickly. Good for him. I'll bet his family was proud.
I was saddened to read that Navy personnel working on the Report of Change dated 31 December 1941 thought that his next of kin had not been notified on him being missing in action. We know, because of a newspaper clipping from Seattle, that as early at 22 December 1941 his family had received official word, and they probably had guessed it earlier.
I am thankful this young man's willingness to serve our country, to do his part in keeping us safe. I am saddened that he lost his life so tragically and so young. I don't say it often enough, I want thank all of the men and women who serve our country in the military, looking to keep us safe.
Amanuensis Monday is a weekly blog theme that was started by John Newmark, the author of TransylvanianDutch blog. John defines Amanuensis as "A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another." I also appreciate the good work and format examples of San Diego genealogist Randy Seaver of the blog Genea-musings.Thanks guys.
Transcribing helps me to learn what a document contains. I have learned over time that I have a tendency to "skim" over an item; a bad trait for a researcher who needs to learn even the smallest details documented records contain. Transcribing helps me to slow down and "smell the flowers," and to capture all aspects of the paper in hand. It also gives me a better opportunity to share the document with you.
Thanks for stopping by today. Hope your Memorial Day weekend was good and makes a start for a great summer.
-- -- --
The URL for this post is: http://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2017/05/amanuensis-monday-naval-records-for.html.
Please comment regarding this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then use the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Or contact me by email at dsteff4246[at]gmail[dot]com. Thank you.
Copyright (c) 2017, Darlene M. Steffens
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