ERNEST D. HODGE, LT, USN
Ernest Hodge '32
Lucky Bag
From the 1932 Lucky Bag:
ERNEST DEBBES HODGE
Tuolumne, California
"Micky" "Tuolumne"
How "Tuolumne" ever managed to break away from Paradise, or California, which is next to it, is a wonder. But he did, and became resigned to live for four years away from his beloved state and made the best of Maryland. Much to his surprise it wasn't such a bad place after all.
An injury early in Plebe year put an end to his athletic hopes, forcing him to concentrate his physical efforts at company sports. Company rifle competition is his specialty.
Micky is not what one would call savvy, but by dint of hard and continuous study and an excellent start from Summerville Union High, back in Tuolumne, he has raised himself to a place among the ranking men of the class.
He is occasionally seen dragging, though he seldom goes to hops or informals. From the prominent place on his desk occupied by the picture of a beautiful girl with dreamy eyes and a wistful smile, we think he must be in love. And didn't we see a miniature on his desk some time during second class year? Congratulations, Micky!
Cross Country; 2 Stripes.
ERNEST DEBBES HODGE
Tuolumne, California
"Micky" "Tuolumne"
How "Tuolumne" ever managed to break away from Paradise, or California, which is next to it, is a wonder. But he did, and became resigned to live for four years away from his beloved state and made the best of Maryland. Much to his surprise it wasn't such a bad place after all.
An injury early in Plebe year put an end to his athletic hopes, forcing him to concentrate his physical efforts at company sports. Company rifle competition is his specialty.
Micky is not what one would call savvy, but by dint of hard and continuous study and an excellent start from Summerville Union High, back in Tuolumne, he has raised himself to a place among the ranking men of the class.
He is occasionally seen dragging, though he seldom goes to hops or informals. From the prominent place on his desk occupied by the picture of a beautiful girl with dreamy eyes and a wistful smile, we think he must be in love. And didn't we see a miniature on his desk some time during second class year? Congratulations, Micky!
Cross Country; 2 Stripes.
Loss
Ernest was lost when USS Houston (CA 30) was sunk on on March 1, 1942 during the Battle of Sunda Strait. He was the ship's communications officer.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Ernest graduated from Summerville High School. He was nominated to the Naval Academy by Congressman Harry L. Englebright.
After a visit to introduce Hannah Fields to his parents, Ernest and Hannah were married on November 26, 1932, in San Francisco.
His father Ernest H., owned a dairy farm, was a carpenter, and later became the county supervisor. His mother was Maud, sister Margaret, and brothers Frederic, Albert, Lawrence and Noel.
His wife was listed as next of kin. He has a memory marker in California. (Note the date of death given is incorrect.)
Photographs
From the Modesto News Herald on March 23, 1928
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
September 1937
January 1938
July 1938
LT William Hobby, Jr. '23
LT Richard Baron '24
LT Harold Pound '25
LT William Graham, Jr. '25
LT Andrew Harris '25
LT Hilan Ebert '26
LT John Bermingham '29
LT Egbert Roth '29
LT Victor Gaulin '30
LTjg Russell Ross '30
LT John Bisson '30
January 1939
LCDR Robert Bedilion '22
LCDR William Hobby, Jr. '23
LT Richard Baron '24
LT Harold Pound '25
LT William Graham, Jr. '25
LT Andrew Harris '25
LT Hilan Ebert '26
LT John Bermingham '29
LT Egbert Roth '29
LT Victor Gaulin '30
LT Russell Ross '30
October 1939
June 1940
November 1940
April 1941
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
