EARLE W. F. CHILDS, LT, USN
Earle Childs '15
Lucky Bag
From the 1915 Lucky Bag:
Earle Wayne Freed Childs
Lewistown, Pennsylvania
"Soc"
SOC has never reminded us of a Quaker, even though he comes from Willie Penn's state. Soc has a deep voice, a merry laugh, and from a front elevation looks remarkably like a jolly hippopotamus, with a sense of humor in proportion. He is peculiarly fond of a big time. Second Class cruise he gained a reputation as a "big-time artist, " a reputation which he has not dimmed by later activities. His studies do not suffer markedly from his frivolities; although not savvy, he manages to keep along with the average without burning midnight oil. Seldom misses dragging to a hop; it all falls into his scheme of making the most of the opportunities of our enviably many-sided life!
Youngster Year Soc was a member of our championship class basketball team—the one that beat '13 in about the fiercest inter-class contest we've ever seen—and those who are conversant with the remarkably vigorous methods of expressing good-feeling that show up in these athletics will appreciate the statement. Some time later Soc demolished his knee and ruined all chance of making the varsity squad. Had he remained a whole man, he might be wearing the coveted "N" to-day—qui sait?
He has decided opinions and will defend them while a cubic inch of air is left with which to do so. He seldom rhinos, and when he does succumb it takes the form of a tragic silence, which is at least thoughtful of him. If Wurtele would do likewise we might all be loving the Navy "tous les jours, vingt-quatre heures."
In general Soc has a happy disposition, and that elephantine grin alone assures you that a liberty made with him will be a good one.
Baseball Numerals; Basketball Numerals: Masqueraders (2, 1); Choir (3, 2, 1); Bugle Corps (2, 1); Glee Club.
Earle Wayne Freed Childs
Lewistown, Pennsylvania
"Soc"
SOC has never reminded us of a Quaker, even though he comes from Willie Penn's state. Soc has a deep voice, a merry laugh, and from a front elevation looks remarkably like a jolly hippopotamus, with a sense of humor in proportion. He is peculiarly fond of a big time. Second Class cruise he gained a reputation as a "big-time artist, " a reputation which he has not dimmed by later activities. His studies do not suffer markedly from his frivolities; although not savvy, he manages to keep along with the average without burning midnight oil. Seldom misses dragging to a hop; it all falls into his scheme of making the most of the opportunities of our enviably many-sided life!
Youngster Year Soc was a member of our championship class basketball team—the one that beat '13 in about the fiercest inter-class contest we've ever seen—and those who are conversant with the remarkably vigorous methods of expressing good-feeling that show up in these athletics will appreciate the statement. Some time later Soc demolished his knee and ruined all chance of making the varsity squad. Had he remained a whole man, he might be wearing the coveted "N" to-day—qui sait?
He has decided opinions and will defend them while a cubic inch of air is left with which to do so. He seldom rhinos, and when he does succumb it takes the form of a tragic silence, which is at least thoughtful of him. If Wurtele would do likewise we might all be loving the Navy "tous les jours, vingt-quatre heures."
In general Soc has a happy disposition, and that elephantine grin alone assures you that a liberty made with him will be a good one.
Baseball Numerals; Basketball Numerals: Masqueraders (2, 1); Choir (3, 2, 1); Bugle Corps (2, 1); Glee Club.
Biography
From Wikipedia:
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Childs was a member of the Naval Academy class of 1915.
He was married to Miss Gertrude Boucher on June 27, 1917. He attended his wedding with his head bandaged from an auto accident he was in that morning while driving in a storm and he was cut by flying glass from the windshield.
After graduation from the Naval Academy, as an ensign, was assigned to the USS Culgoa, a refrigerated supply ship. He was next assigned to the USS Celtic, another refrigerated supply ship. He then was detached from Celtic in June 1916 to the battleship USS Montana.
As a lieutenant, he served in World War I in the submarine L-2. On board the British submarine HMS H5 as an observer, Lieutenant Childs was lost when H5 sank with all hands after a collision with a merchantman off the English coast.
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Earle’s son, also named Earle, was born on March 30, 1918.
Earle’s father Frank was a wholesale grocer. His mother was Margaret, and his brother Frank Engle Childs was a corporal at Camp Meade.
He has a memory marker in England.
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Earle Wayne Freed Childs, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service while serving as an Observer on board the British Submarine H.M.S. H-5, engaged in the important, exacting and hazardous submarine duty in the War Zone, during World War I.
Service: Navy
Division: H.M.S. H-5
Photographs
From the Lucky Bag
"A drawing by Albert Rosenthal for the Destroyer USS CHILDS." From Naval History and Heritage Command
"A drawing by Albert Rosenthal for the Destroyer USS CHILDS." From Naval History and Heritage Command
From Find A Grave
Namesake
USS Childs (DD 241) was named for Earle; the ship was sponsored by his widow.
Family
Earle was survived by his wife and son. His son, Earle B. Childs USNA '40, was a Lieutenant aboard a torpedo boat when it was bombed in WWII. The attack wounded him and caused the loss of his right leg — 25 years to the day after his father was killed. This also began a truly incredible ordeal to treat and ultimately evacuate him; he was taken by multiple ships, jeeps, and aircraft via Guadalcanal. He nearly died several times, and at one point two years later weighed only 85 pounds. (Information from August 1964 issue of Shipmate.)
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.
January 1916
March 1918
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
