CHARLES F. BRINDUPKE, CDR, USN
Charles Brindupke '32
Lucky Bag
From the 1932 Lucky Bag:
CHARLES FREDERIC BRINDUPKE
San Francisco, California
"Brindy" "Charlie"
From the beginning of his Naval Academy career, "Brindy" has been a Navy man; and it is his intention to devote his postgraduate days to the service. In fact, he has always taken a keen interest in ships and boats, from his Naval Reserve days in San Francisco through his Academy course. He was a devotee of the activities of the San Francisco yacht clubs and Pacific Coast yacht races, and did considerable boat handling himself in the "Golden Gate" Harbor.
"Brindy" has made a place for himself among the members of '32, a place by reason of his wide acquaintances and activities while at Annapolis.
Though not always at the head of the class, "Brindy" is very popular for his practical scholarship. He is a smart lad, is a good judge of beverages, can furnish the latest jazz on the piano, can make any radio operate and sings a smooth tenor in "Sweet Adeline" and other well-known melodies. He has always been a good member in good standing of the Dunhill Club, rarely having less than a dozen good workable pipes.
Cross Country; Manager Plebe Basketball; Plebe Track; Rifle; Crew, 32; Radio Club Vice-President; Glee Club; Musical Clubs; Choir; Reception Committee; G.P.O.
Charles was a member of the Glee Club.
CHARLES FREDERIC BRINDUPKE
San Francisco, California
"Brindy" "Charlie"
From the beginning of his Naval Academy career, "Brindy" has been a Navy man; and it is his intention to devote his postgraduate days to the service. In fact, he has always taken a keen interest in ships and boats, from his Naval Reserve days in San Francisco through his Academy course. He was a devotee of the activities of the San Francisco yacht clubs and Pacific Coast yacht races, and did considerable boat handling himself in the "Golden Gate" Harbor.
"Brindy" has made a place for himself among the members of '32, a place by reason of his wide acquaintances and activities while at Annapolis.
Though not always at the head of the class, "Brindy" is very popular for his practical scholarship. He is a smart lad, is a good judge of beverages, can furnish the latest jazz on the piano, can make any radio operate and sings a smooth tenor in "Sweet Adeline" and other well-known melodies. He has always been a good member in good standing of the Dunhill Club, rarely having less than a dozen good workable pipes.
Cross Country; Manager Plebe Basketball; Plebe Track; Rifle; Crew, 32; Radio Club Vice-President; Glee Club; Musical Clubs; Choir; Reception Committee; G.P.O.
Charles was a member of the Glee Club.
Loss
Charles was lost when USS Tullibee (SS 284) was sunk by her own torpedo during an attack on a Japanese convoy near the Palau Islands on March 26, 1944.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Charles graduated from Lowell High School in 1926 and then attended Marin Junior College. In Lowell’s 1956 yearbook, Charles was listed with others who were killed in World War II.
From Ventura County Star, California, June 11, 1928:
Oxnard Boy Given Naval Appointment
How sea scouting led one Ventura county youth to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis has been told by Charles Brindupke, 18, former Oxnard boy, who has passed his necessary examination and has been admitted to the eastern institution.
Brindupke was born in Oxnard in 1910 and lived there until 1922, when he went to San Francisco. There he used to wander along the waterfront, wishing that his day might come to sail away in one of the fine ships in the harbor.
In 1925, while attending high school, he heard of the new organization of Sea Scouts, being formed at Lowell. He became interested and attended a jamboree of the scouts at Galileo High school, where he made application for membership. For a year he took the various tests required and finally made his first voyage, a sail on a cold, windy December day, made possible when the older scouts took him along for ballast.
Interest in sea scouting led to a mature interest in boats, and Bindupke took his problem before Sea Scout Commissioner J. L. Cahn, head of the organization in San Francisco, who in turn, went with the boy to see Admiral Thomas Washington, commandant of the Twelfth Naval District. This acquaintanceship led to the appointment which was recently announced sending Charles Brindupke to Annapolis to become one of Uncle Sam’s commissioned naval officers.
From Find A Grave:
EVENING CAPITAL, ANNAPOLIS, MD., FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1946, FRONT PAGE & PAGE FIVE
COMDR. BRINDUPKE MISSING SINCE MARCH 27, 1944
Comdr. Charles F. Brindupke, USN, officially listed as dead by the Navy Department, has been missing since the USS Tullibee, submarine which he commanded, was lost March 27, 1944, off Palau. Only one survivor was picked up from the Tullibee.
The notice from the Navy Department was received here yesterday.
Commander Brindupke, whose wife and daughter, Nancy, 10, reside at 5 Murray avenue, had served much of the time in submarine duty since his graduation from the Naval Academy in the class of 1932.
After leaving submarine school in 1934 he had a three years tour of duty in China, followed by tours at New London and in Panama. During the war he commanded the USS Bonita, preceding taking command of the Tullibee. For successful patrols in the latter ship he won three awards: the silver star and two bronze star medals.
He and his family previously resided in Annapolis when he studied at the Post Graduate school. Mrs. Brindupke and Nancy, who was born in Tsingtao, China, returned to Annapolis when Commander Brindupke went out with the Tullibee in 1943.
Mrs. Brindupke was, before her marriage, Miss Ann Rogers, of Howard county.
His wife was listed as next of kin. (She sponsored USS Tullibee (SSN 597), commissioned in 1960.)
Photographs
From his high school yearbook
From The San Francisco Examiner on July 23, 1944
Charles being awarded the Silver Star by ADM Nimitz
From Lowell High School's 1956 yearbook
Career
From the now-broken link http://www.fleetorganization.com/subcommandersclassyear3.html:
- Under Instruction Post Graduate School United States Naval Academy 1939
- Duty USS Overton (DD-239) 1 Oct 1939
- Duty cfo Bonita 1 Jul 1940
- Engineering Officer USS Bonita (SS-165) 1 Nov 1940
- Executive Officer USS Bonita (SS-165) 1 Oct 1941 - 30 Jun 1942
- Captain USS Bonita (SS-165) 19 Aug 1942 - 30 Sep 1942
- Captain USS Tullibee (SS-284) 15 Feb 1943 - 26 Mar 1944
- Lieutenant (j.g.) 2 Jun 1935
- Lieutenant 29 Dec 1939
- Lieutenant Commander (T) 15 Jun 1942
- Commander (T) 18 Nov 1942
Silver Star
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Commander Charles Frederic Brindupke (NSN: 0-71489), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. TULLIPBEE (SS-284) during the SECOND War Patrol of that Submarine from 28 September to 16 November 1943, in enemy Japanese-controlled waters in the Pacific War Area. Displaying brilliant tactical skill and fearless determination, Commander Brindupke attacked a group of hostile vessels, sinking and damaging an important amount of enemy tonnage. Following the engagement, when the Japanese violently depth-charged and bombed the submarine, sending her to the bottom, he coolly and courageously extricated his ship and throughout the ensuing day skillfully avoided severe air and surface countermeasures by the enemy. During two later engagements, he inflicted extensive damage on a hostile tanker and carried out a devastating bombardment of installations on an enemy-held island. Commander Brindupke's inspiring leadership and the loyal devotion to duty of his officers and men were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Pacific Fleet Board of Awards: Serial 46 (February 18, 1944)
Action Date: September 28 - November 16, 1943
Service: Navy
Rank: Commander
Division: U.S.S. Tullibee (SS-284)
Bronze Star
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Bronze Star Medal to Commander Charles Frederic Brindupke (NSN: 0-71489), United States Navy, for meritorious service as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. TULLIBEE (SS-284), during the FIRST War Patrol of that Submarine in enemy-controlled waters from 19 July to 6 September 1943. A skilled and aggressive leader, Commander Brindupke boldly penetrated the enemy's heavy escort screen to launch vigorous, brilliantly executed torpedo attacks which resulted in the sinking and damaging of an important amount of Japanese shipping. By his expert evasive tactics and cool and courageous action in the face of grave danger, Commander Brindupke contributed essentially to the success of his ship in evading strong hostile countermeasures throughout a period of bitter offensive action and his zealous devotion to duty throughout reflects the highest credit upon himself, his gallant command and the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: July 19 - September 6, 1943
Service: Navy
Rank: Commander
Company: Commanding Officer
Division: U.S.S. Tullibee (SS-284)
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Bronze Star Medal to Commander Charles Frederic Brindupke (NSN: 0-71489), United States Navy, for meritorious service as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. TULLIBEE (SS-284), during the Third War Patrol of that Submarine in enemy-controlled waters from 14 December 1943 to 10 February 1944. Operating dangerously near hostile shores and in the face of bitter opposition, Commander Brindupke boldly delivered smashing torpedo attacks against heavily escorted hostile convoys, contributing materially to the success of his vessel in sinking an important amount of enemy shipping and, by his skillful evasive tactics during strong depth-charge counterattacks, returned safe to port undamaged. His forceful and aggressive leadership and the gallant fighting spirit of the officers and men under his command reflect the highest credit upon the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 01914 (March 5, 1945)
Action Date: December 14, 1943 - February 10, 1944
Service: Navy
Rank: Commander
Company: Commanding Officer
Division: U.S.S. Tullibee (SS-284)
The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.
The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.
The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.
October 1932
January 1933
April 1933
July 1933
October 1933
April 1934
July 1934
October 1934
January 1935
April 1935
October 1935
January 1936
April 1936
July 1936
January 1937
April 1937
October 1939
June 1940
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
