MARTIN M. KOIVISTO, LT, USN

Martin Koivisto '32

Date of birth: May 26, 1909

Date of death: February 19, 1942

Age: 33

Lucky Bag

From the 1932 Lucky Bag:

MARTIN MATHEW KOIVISTO

Ishpeming, Michigan

"Mart" "Matt" "Koivie"

Mart came to us after a year at the University of Michigan and consequently wasn't quite as befuddled as most of us were Plebe year. In fact he has never had any trouble with academics while in the Academy.

Nothing said about Koivie would be complete unless his inimitable sense of humor were mentioned. It keeps one rolling with laughter one moment and seeking a belaying pin the next.

Mart has tried most sports and is forever taking a workout; but while no conspicuous athlete, he has faithfully supported the sub-squad for three years.

Koivie has gathered a host of friends who will always remember him for his sparkling wit, perpetual good humor, thoughtfulness, and willingness to help out a friend any time. And as a roommate, there are no better.

"Aw, this isn't cold; you should see the snow up in Ishpeming—Hey! What's the idea? Close that window before we freeze."

Class Football; Lucky Bag Staff; 2 P.O.

Martin was Office Manager of the Lucky Bag.

MARTIN MATHEW KOIVISTO

Ishpeming, Michigan

"Mart" "Matt" "Koivie"

Mart came to us after a year at the University of Michigan and consequently wasn't quite as befuddled as most of us were Plebe year. In fact he has never had any trouble with academics while in the Academy.

Nothing said about Koivie would be complete unless his inimitable sense of humor were mentioned. It keeps one rolling with laughter one moment and seeking a belaying pin the next.

Mart has tried most sports and is forever taking a workout; but while no conspicuous athlete, he has faithfully supported the sub-squad for three years.

Koivie has gathered a host of friends who will always remember him for his sparkling wit, perpetual good humor, thoughtfulness, and willingness to help out a friend any time. And as a roommate, there are no better.

"Aw, this isn't cold; you should see the snow up in Ishpeming—Hey! What's the idea? Close that window before we freeze."

Class Football; Lucky Bag Staff; 2 P.O.

Martin was Office Manager of the Lucky Bag.

Biography

Martin Mathew Koivisto was born on 26 May 1909 in Ishpeming, Marquette, MI the son of Herman and Hilja Seraphine (Kandelin) Koivisto who were Finnish immigrants. Martin’s siblings were Lillian Sophia Schopp, Aili Sylvia (died young), Irma Marie Myers, John Arthur (Jane Kathryn O’Neil), and Helen Evelyn “Lena” Gleason.

Herman immigrated to America from Finland through the port of NY on board the S.S. New York (passenger records say S.S. Paris) on 07 Oct 1895 (according to naturalization records the ship was the S.S. New York and arrival about July 1895). He became a Naturalized Citizen in the District Court of Montana at Silver Bow County on 09 Oct 1900 where (according to the 1900 census) he worked in Butte, MT as a Copper miner. There was an Annie L. Koivisto, b. May 1873 in Finland, who was single and a servant living in the same boarding house where Herman lived. She may have been an older sister. Herman left Montana before 26 Jan 1904 when he married Hilja S. Kandelin in Ishpeming, Marquette, Michigan (MI) where all their children were born.

Martin, known as Massa, attended Ishpeming High School where he actively embraced extra-curricular activities. He participated in the Glee Club (1,2,3); Orchestra (1,2,3); football, (3,4); Hi-Y (1,2,3,4); Hi-Y President first and second semester (4). He honed his natural leadership skills as both Class President and Student Council member for all four years of high school. He had a busy schedule, but Martin didn’t neglect his studies. He was an Honor Student. (The numbers after his activities represent high school grades, ie, Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior years.)

Graduated in June 1927, Massa entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor with the fall Freshman class of 1927-1928. In early January 1928, he took the civil service competitive examination for Congressional selection of candidates for the Military and Naval Academies. On 28 Jan, US House Military Affairs Committee member and acting chairman, the Honorable W. Frank James, Congressman of Michigan, nominated Martin as his primary candidate for appointment to the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD. In April 1928, Martin took the Naval Academy entrance exam and passed. Martin completed his first year at U of Michigan in May and on 18 Jun 1928, Martin Mathew Koivisto entered the US Naval Academy at Annapolis to begin his Plebe year.

On Thursday, 2 Jun 1932, Martin received his college degree, accepted his commission and took the oath of office as an Ensign of the Line, United States Navy. He finished his four years at Annapolis standing 281st in a graduating class of 421 midshipmen. All newly commissioned Ensigns of the Line were expected to be assigned to a ship for their first tour of duty. Ens. Koivisto reported on board the battleship, USS California (BB-44) on 30 Jun 1932. Several years later, he transferred to the destroyer, USS Humphreys (DD-236). While on board Humphreys, Koivisto was promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade (Ltjg) on 2 Jun 1935 and on 29 May 1937, Ltjg Koivisto married Myrtle Edna Maring in Yuma, Arizona. In Aug 1938, Ltjg Koivisto received orders to transfer from Humphreys and report for duty to the battleship, USS Idaho (BB-42). The following month (Sep 1938), he received an order modification cancelling his assignment to Idaho and directing him to report to the cargo ship, USS Capella (AK-13), for duty. On 18 Mar 1939, Mrs Koivisto gave birth to her only child, Robert Martin Koivisto, born in Norfolk, VA.

Ltjg Koivisto detached in Jun 1939 from Capella and reported on 28 Jul 1939 to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, FL for duty as an Aviation Cadet Battalion Officer (he was not a student pilot). On 26 Jun 1940, Koivisto was promoted to Lieutenant. Near the end of his tour at NAS, Pensacola, Ltjg Koivisto struck up a friendship with Ensign Robert Scott "Scottie" Whitman Jr, USNA '39, an aviation pilot trainee [1], who wrote in Apr 1941 to his parents about the Koivisto family inviting him to dinner a number of times and exchanging occasional letters making it feel like a home away from home. Also in Apr 1941, Lt Koivisto received orders to detach from NAS Pensacola and report to Asiatic Station in Manila, Philippines for assignment. He departed Pensacola in early May, however, his wife, Myrtle, was unable to accompany him overseas for reasons below. She moved from Pensacola in late May to San Diego, CA to live with her widowed mother, Minnie Myrtle, (her father, Edward Gilbert Maring died 29 Oct 1921 in San Diego, CA) until her husband’s tour in the Asiatic fleet was completed. When he arrived in Manila, Lt Koivisto reported for duty on 28 Aug 1941 on board the Clemson-class destroyer, USS Peary (DD-226) as 1st Lieutenant (According to USS Peary’s List of Officers dated 31 Dec 1941).

Prelude to War.

The threat of hostilities between the United States and Japan grew closer to the boiling point as the year 1941 began. Admiral Hart, Commander in Chief, Asiatic Fleet, determined then it was time to send all of the families of his sailors home and not allow any families into the Philippines. There was push-back from the resentful spouses who initially declined to leave their husbands. It was only a threat to indefinitely restrict their spouses to their ships without leave that finally convinced the families; it was time to comply with orders and return to the continental United States (CONUS). Admiral Hart's directive probably saved many family members from internment by the Japanese or worse. For many of the married sailors alike, it was the last time they would ever see their families.

Then, in July 1941, as Japanese aggression intensified with their move south into lower Indo-China, Admiral Hart warned his officers that he had no doubt that war would come although he didn’t know how of when it would start. Hart trained his destroyer crews hard keeping them on a war-footing for extended periods and away from Cavite naval base as much as possible exercising his “defensive deployment.” Ordered to comply with the Adm. Hart’s “defensive deployment” well south of Manila, units of the Asiatic Fleet including destroyer tender USS Blackhawk (AD-9), and other ships of Destroyer Squadron Twenty-Nine (DesRon 29), got underway on 25 Nov 1941, and arrived on the morning of 29 Nov 1941 in Balikpapan, a major oil port on the eastern coast of Borneo. Peary was not among the group of ships proceeding south. Despite his best efforts, Admiral Hart was still caught by surprise by the Japanese attacks. Four of the Destroyer Division Fifty Nine (DesDiv 59) ships remained in the Manila Bay area during the first week of December 1941 for overhaul and two others to provide escort services for shipping. Two of the destroyers, Pillsbury and Peary, were in the navy yard at Cavite for repairs following a collision during night training exercises in late October.

Peary was still pier-side at Cavite’s Central wharf on the morning of 10 Dec 1941 in a “cold iron” state. Her engines disassembled, bow open awaiting a patch, she was receiving “hotel” services (water, electricity and steam) from the pier (some reports indicate Peary was at the shipyard for routine maintenance). Most of her crew had moved ashore to continue repairs from base maintenance shops. She was non-operational. Suddenly, about 1 p.m., two flights of more than 50 Japanese twin-engine, land-based, medium bombers appeared over the naval installations and commenced to obliterate everything in sight.

About 1350, Peary sustained a direct hit with an estimated 250 pound bomb which contained a combination of shrapnel and incendiary explosives. The bomb struck her mast spraying shrapnel in every direction killing or wounding almost everyone on the fire-control platform, bridge, and other areas and starting fires. Eight sailors were killed outright and five officers, including the Commanding Officer, Lcdr Keith, were wounded. They were evacuated to Sternberg hospital. The executive officer was found unconscious on the bridge and later died. Another 15 enlisted men on the ship were wounded. Also, many crewmen were lost in the bombing while ashore.

Unable to get underway and with little help on board or from ashore, Peary’s fate seemed sealed. Suddenly, the small Asiatic Fleet minesweeper, USS Whippoorwill (AM-35) braved the flames, smoke and exploding warheads from a torpedo shop on the pier to render assistance to the severely damaged Peary. After much effort, Whippoorwill was able to tow Peary to a buoy some distance away. She moored alongside Peary and within a brief period began sending over damage control parties, water and food to the beleaguered Peary (Whippoorwill’s commanding officer received the Navy Cross for his actions that day.).

With the wounding of Peary’s CO and death of her XO, the ship’s temporary captaincy was assumed by Lt Martin M. Koivisto, who had sustained several shrapnel wounds himself during the attack. Lt John M. Bermingham, who had recently been the executive officer of the destroyer, USS Stewart (DD-224), was chosen for command of Peary based upon Lt Bermingham’s chance encounter with the Asiatic Fleet’s personnel commander on 10 Dec. In accordance with CINC, Asiatic Fleet orders dated 11 Dec 1941, Lt Bermingham assumed command of USS Peary as noted in Peary’s deck log entry of Thursday, 11 Dec 1941 and signed by M.M. Koivisto, LT, USN.

After the 10 Dec attack, Lts Bermingham and Koivisto and the remaining crew set to work making Peary ready for sea. It was a Herculean effort performed by the crew in conjunction with the facilities of Atlantic Gulf and Pacific Company to effect the minimum repairs in order to make Peary sea-worthy.

On 23-24 Dec 1941, Peary got underway on her first war mission; an antisubmarine patrol assignment in the Verde Island Passage between Luzon and the Philippine island of Mindoro. The day after Christmas 1941, the CO’s of USS Pillsbury and Peary were ashore at a conference with the Commandant, Sixteenth Naval District, Admiral Rockwell, to discuss releasing the ships to join other US forces in the Netherlands East Indies when enemy bombers suddenly appeared overhead. Peary was attacked by five flights of Japanese high level bombers. Each flight consisted of between 6 to 9 planes.

Lt Bermingham watched from shore as his new executive officer, Lt Martin M. Koivisto (he was also the gunnery officer), deftly maneuvered Peary around Manila Bay dodging bomb after bomb for several hours. Though she suffered a few near misses, Peary emerged virtually unscathed. Later that evening, Peary and Pillsbury were ordered to put to sea and proceed south by the best route and join Task Force 5 at Surabaja, Netherlands East Indies. For safety, each ship was to proceed independently.

Peary’s voyage south was eventful and dangerous as the Japanese held mastery of the air and sea. Intelligence information provided to Peary just after her departure from Manila indicated that Japanese warships probably lurked along his intended route to Surabaja. Lcdr Bermingham changed his track and destination to Darwin, Australia. Birmingham traveled only by night and during the day he brought his ship close to shore and tied up to trees and covered the ship with palm fronds and green paint in order to blend with the flora of the various islands. Several times, Japanese bombers flew overhead but did not detect the ship. At about 0800, 28 Dec, Peary sighted a large Japanese four-engine seaplane shadowing her. It was a Kawanishi HK6 “Mavis” flying boat. About 1400, three more Mavis’ joined and the attacks began with each plane making two runs dropping a single bomb estimated at 500 pounds. During the attacks Kovisto's gun crews kept up continuous fire at the enemy planes. Peary maneuvered successfully avoiding the bombs.

Finally, after the flying boats completed their attacks, two twin engine, single wing torpedo planes appeared and commenced an attack on Peary dropping two torpedoes off the port bow and two off the port quarter. Again, the skipper maneuvered the ship out of danger. However, after dropping their ordnance, the enemy torpedo planes fired several strafing bursts which struck the stacks. They were driven off by heavy shipboard machine gun fire from Lt Kovisto's angry gunners.

About 1800, off Kema Island in the Bangka Strait, three Lockheed Hudson patrol bombers were sighted approaching from astern. The aircraft challenged Peary via signal light and she responded. The pilot was seen to wave his arm. However, one of the planes assumed a glide bombing profile. Peary’s anti-aircraft batteries opened fire and began maneuvering radically. One of Peary’s crewman lost his balance and fell overboard (he was picked up by a fisherman, but was turned over to the Japanese. He worked in a mine in Japan and was repatriated at the end of the war.). Each Hudson made two attacks dropping a single 250 pound shrapnel bomb. There were no direct hits but near misses caused extensive but relatively minor damage. One crewman, a machine gunner at his station, was killed when he was struck by shrapnel (S1c Kenneth E. Quinaux was buried at sea during services at 2000 on 29 Dec 1941.). Prior to departing, each Hudson made a strafing run on the ship. Peary was hit in various places topside. Some shrapnel penetrated the engineering space disabling the starboard main engine.

Peary anchored at Port Darwin at 0840, 03 Jan 1942 after a 2100 mile plus transit from Manila, Philippines to Darwin, Australia. In accordance with All Navy Message 4 (ALNAV #4) as recorded in the Deck Log of USS Peary of 6 Jan 1942, Lt Bermingham was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander (Lcdr). Within a week of arriving at Darwin, twenty-eight enlisted men and officers became ill with a virulent form of Malaria or Dengue Fever, contracted when the ship anchored off remote Maitara Island near Ternate in the Halmakeras. It was necessary to stop there to make repairs after being attacked by Australian aircraft. Eventually nine men would die.

Peary also received tender availability services from USS Black Hawk (AD-9) to affect temporary repairs and make Peary seaworthy. Those repairs were completed on 22 Jan 1942. Peary assumed submarine escort duties on numerous occasions. She was an anti-submarine escort for USS Langley (AV-3) from Darwin to Fremantle, Australia between 08-13 Feb 1942 and she steamed with USS Houston escorting a Darwin- Koepang convoy from 14 to 19 Feb 1942.

Peary returned to Port Darwin and anchored about 0100, 19 Feb 1942. About 1045, Peary was attacked by many single engine Japanese dive-bombers. She was hit by five bombs. The fifth bomb, an incendiary, exploded in the after engine room opening the ship to the sea. Peary sank, stern first, at about 1300 with her anti-aircraft guns still firing until the last enemy plane left the area. According to records, there were only five officers on board Peary during this attack; Lt Koivisto was one of the four that perished.

Lt Martin Mathew Koivisto was listed as missing in action on 19 Feb 1942 and presumed dead. His remains were unrecoverable. He was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart with Gold Star (second award), American Defense Service Medal w/Fleet Clasp (bronze star in lieu of clasp), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/Fleet Clasp and two bronze stars (one bronze star in lieu of clasp), Philippine Defense Medal and the WWII Victory Medal. He also received a Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Letter of Commendation. He may be eligible for the Combat Action Ribbon.

After Martin's death, Myrtle Edna Koivisto never remarried. Later in life she moved from California to Washington state to be close to her son and his family. She died in Whatcom County, WA on 05 Jan 1996. Her son, Robert Martin Koivisto, also died in Washington on 06 Jun 2021.

The SECNAV Letter of Commendation reads: On December 26, 1941, while you were the temporary commanding officer of the U.S.S. Peary, you efficiently and courageously, during sustained attack by five flights of enemy high level bombers which dropped five ‘sticks’ totaling approximately 45 bombs, maneuvered the PEARY in Manila bay in such a manner that the damage sustained by that ship was slight.

Lt Koivisto's family also received a personal commemoration from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It reads: In grateful memory of Martin Mathew Koivisto, who died in the service of his country, SEA, Asiatic Area, ATTACHED U.S.S. PEARY, 19 February 1942. He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live and grow and increase its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives -- in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men. (Signed) Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States

Bio #346 composed by CDR Gerry Lawton, USN (ret.)

His wife was listed as next of kin; he was also survived by a son.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

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.