On the road

On the road

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Profiles Spring-Summer 2013 HFDFW


 

Eugene enlisted in the U.S.Navy late in the war. He was 18 and probably was about to graduate from high school.

He was assigned to a ship that had an interesting history. Launched in 1929, the founder of Halliburton, Erle P. Halliburton named the yacht for his wife, Vida.  After the war started, like many wealthy American’s, the Vida was offered by Halliburton to the U.S.Navy to be converted into whatever craft that was needed at the time. Of course Erle Halliburton is the founder of what we call Halliburton Corporation today.

The Navy rechristened the Vida, the U.S.S. Crystal after December 7, 1941. The Navy assigned the new Crystal to the “Hawaiian Sea Frontier,” responsible for patrolling the area around Pearl Harbor. Throughout the war, it was thought that the Japanese would attempt to attack Pearl Harbor once again, this time perhaps taking out American aircraft carriers, which were thankfully out at sea on December 7, 1941.

Eugene was assigned to the Crystal after finishing basic training. At one time,the Crystal was a patrol craft that hunted Japanese ships and especially submarines. From December 1943 to April 1944 the Crystal was assigned to an area around Midway Island the scene of the pivotal Battle of Midway in 1942. After this assignment, the Crystal was once again to the Hawaiin Island chain.  

Eugene’s most memorable experiences include the long and often times boring watches searching for enemy ships, submarines and aircraft.    

 

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