ROBERT W. GERMANY, JR., LT, USN
Robert Germany, Jr. '30
Lucky Bag
From the 1930 Lucky Bag:
ROBERT WILLIAM GERMANY, JR.
Monroe, Louisiana
"Bob" "Bobby"
YOUNG, proud, romantic, outspoken, indifferent, popular. He goes lightly through life with his head high—a boy and a man at once. He can study when necessary, but such is rarely the case. He is a Southerner with a good disposition and a sharp tongue which he hopes some day to put to use in law. Argumentative—and reluctant to be driven to do anything—generous and versatile, he plays tennis well, and can perform in any sport from billiards to wrestling. Non-reg and lucky—a wonderful combination. Cheerful and carefree, we can find him at the "hops"—nonchalant—a good sport on all occasions.
He loves to sleep—and yet when occasion demands, can concentrate immediately—energetically. These spells, however, are quickly swept away. He soon becomes a boy again, ready to swap wisecracks. He can lose and regain his temper in five minutes—quick to tell you what he thinks of you, he is not a flatterer. A good friend, a regular fellow. Such is the man Robert William Germany—such is the boy "Bobby."
Tennis 4, 3, 2, Numerals 3, 2; 2 P.O.
ROBERT WILLIAM GERMANY, JR.
Monroe, Louisiana
"Bob" "Bobby"
YOUNG, proud, romantic, outspoken, indifferent, popular. He goes lightly through life with his head high—a boy and a man at once. He can study when necessary, but such is rarely the case. He is a Southerner with a good disposition and a sharp tongue which he hopes some day to put to use in law. Argumentative—and reluctant to be driven to do anything—generous and versatile, he plays tennis well, and can perform in any sport from billiards to wrestling. Non-reg and lucky—a wonderful combination. Cheerful and carefree, we can find him at the "hops"—nonchalant—a good sport on all occasions.
He loves to sleep—and yet when occasion demands, can concentrate immediately—energetically. These spells, however, are quickly swept away. He soon becomes a boy again, ready to swap wisecracks. He can lose and regain his temper in five minutes—quick to tell you what he thinks of you, he is not a flatterer. A good friend, a regular fellow. Such is the man Robert William Germany—such is the boy "Bobby."
Tennis 4, 3, 2, Numerals 3, 2; 2 P.O.
Loss
Robert was lost when USS Pillsbury (DD 227) was sunk by a superior Japanese surface force in a night action on March 2, 1942, 200 miles east of Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.
Other Information
From Monroe (Louisiana) News-Star on May 26, 1932:
Ensign Robert Germany, who is enjoying his two weeks leave of absence from the United States navy with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Germany, and incidentally to attend the marriage of his sister. Miss Lela Germany, to Dr. Charles Folsom on June 1. Ensign Germany will report for duty on the west coast on board the U. S. S. Pennsylvania on June 15. Ensign Germany graduated with honors from Annapolis last year.
From the Monroe Morning World (Monroe, Louisiana) on November 19, 1933:
Robert had been detached from regular duty, and assigned to the war department for service with the civilian conservation corps, is now located at corps headquarters, at New Tazwell, Tenn. Monroe friends are looking forward to his visit here with his parents during the Thanksgiving holidays.
From the Monroe News-Star on June 17, 1940:
Lieutenant Robert Germany, U.S.N., son of Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Germany, 1504 Fairview avenue, Monroe, is commander of the U.S.S. Tutuila, American gunboat, which was attacked Sunday by Japanese bombers on the Yangtze river in China. This picture was taken recently aboard the Tutuila.
From the Monroe News-Star on February 11, 1946, reporting his status change from "missing" to killed in action:
Lieutenant Germany, or "Bobby" as he was generally known to his many friends, was born in Monroe, La., on December 6. 1909. He attended the city school that is now known as the "Central Grammar," and graduated there on June 1, 1926, from the Monroe City High School. Receiving an appointment to the Naval Academy, which he won by competitive examination, he entered there as a midshipman on June 22, 1926. During his four years at the academy, he took part in three midshipmen's cruises, serving on the U.S.S. Oklahoma, U.S.S. Utah and the U.S.S. Arkansas respectively, in the order named. He graduated from the Naval Academy, and was commissioned as an ensign on June 5. 1930. As an ensign, he saw service on the battleships Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. On June 29, 1933, he was detailed for special duty with the civil conservation corps. He next served slightly over a year as personnel officer on the transport U.S.S. Henderson, from which he was detached to duty in connection with the fitting out of the U.S.S. Lamson, a destroyer which was under construction at Bath, Maine, continuing on the Lamson as finance officer, until April, 1937.
From June 1. 1937. to May 28, 1938, he took post graduate work at the Naval Academy, from whence he was ordered for service in the intelligence department at Washington and New York, having been commissioned a lieutenant as of June 30, 1938. From June until September of 1939, he was assigned to the Great Lakes Training School, and acted as instructor of naval reserves during cruise of the U.S.S. Wilmington. On October 31, 1939. he reported to the U.S.S. Tutuila at Chungking, China, serving first as executive officer, and later as commanding officer from April 30 to November 12, 1940. On November 25, 1940, he reported to the U.S.S. Pillsbury as executive officer.
He was A member of the First Methodist Church, of Monroe, La. His decorations consist of: Purple Heart, American defense service medal (fleet clasp), Asiatic-Pacific area campaign medal with (2) bronze stars, Philippine defense ribbon, World War II victory medal.
In addition to his parents, Lieutenant Germany is survived by two sisters. Mrs. Lealis L. Hale, of Monroe, La.; Mrs. Walter F. Shattuck, Jr., of Lake Forrest, Ill.; and three nephews, Bolling and Robert Jones, and Lealis L. Hale, Jr., all of Monroe, La.
His parents were listed as next of kin.
Photographs
From the Monroe Morning World (Monroe, Louisiana) on November 19, 1933
From the Monroe (Louisiana) News-Star on May 26, 1932
From the Monroe News-Star on June 17, 1940
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 1930
January 1931
April 1931
July 1931
LTjg Theodore Marshall '24 (Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 4B)
ENS Francis Jordan '29 (USS West Virginia)
October 1931
LTjg Theodore Marshall '24 (Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 4B)
ENS Francis Jordan '29 (USS West Virginia)
January 1932
LTjg Theodore Marshall '24 (Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 4B)
April 1932
LTjg Theodore Marshall '24 (Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 4B)
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
LT Robert Bedilion '22
LT William Hobby, Jr. '23
LT Richard Baron '24
LT Richard Gingras '25
LT Harold Pound '25
LT William Graham, Jr. '25
LT Andrew Harris '25
LT Ralph Hickox '27
LTjg John Bermingham '29
January 1938
LT Robert Bedilion '22
LT William Hobby, Jr. '23
LT Richard Baron '24
LT Richard Gingras '25
LT Harold Pound '25
LT William Graham, Jr. '25
LT Andrew Harris '25
LT Ralph Hickox '27
LT John Bermingham '29
July 1938
January 1939
October 1939
June 1940
November 1940
April 1941
Memorial Hall Error
Robert's name is not on the killed in action panel in the front of Memorial Hall.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
