ELMER D. ANDERSON, LT, USN

Elmer Anderson '35

Date of birth: November 15, 1911

Date of death: February 18, 1942

Age: 30

Lucky Bag

From the 1935 Lucky Bag:

ELMER DEAN ANDERSON

Red Oak, Iowa

"Andy"

SEVERAL years ago, Andy finally decided to leave the old farmstead for good, substituting the pitchfork for a sword—the Navy thereby gaining through Iowa's loss. Academics and the sub squad have proved Andy's main stumbling blocks, but, while sailing close to the wind in Dago, and pulling plenty of crabs in his oars, he has always managed to sail through at the last minute. Saint Pat never derived much business at Carvel through Snake Anderson. The few times he dragged, this Red Mike kept his drags to himself. Quiet and unassuming, although thoroughly self-reliant, Dean has instilled in all with whom he comes in contact, a respect and admiration for his manly qualities.

M.P.O.

ELMER DEAN ANDERSON

Red Oak, Iowa

"Andy"

SEVERAL years ago, Andy finally decided to leave the old farmstead for good, substituting the pitchfork for a sword—the Navy thereby gaining through Iowa's loss. Academics and the sub squad have proved Andy's main stumbling blocks, but, while sailing close to the wind in Dago, and pulling plenty of crabs in his oars, he has always managed to sail through at the last minute. Saint Pat never derived much business at Carvel through Snake Anderson. The few times he dragged, this Red Mike kept his drags to himself. Quiet and unassuming, although thoroughly self-reliant, Dean has instilled in all with whom he comes in contact, a respect and admiration for his manly qualities.

M.P.O.

Loss

Elmer was lost when USS Truxtun (DD 229) grounded in Newfoundland on February 18, 1942.

The book "Standing Into Danger" by Cassie Brown detail's Truxtun's loss, as well as the loss of USS Pollux (AKS 2) and USS Wilkes (DD 441). The website "Dead Reckoning: The Pollux-Truxtun Disaster" is also devoted to the topic.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

An honor graduate of Red Oak High School in 1930, “Eric” was Class President ’29, Quill and Scroll ’29-’30, Acorn newspaper Editor ’30, Vice President Student Council ’30, Pep Editor ’30. “Our editor, from every angle viewed, he proves a man.”
He attended the school’s junior college class before entering the Naval Academy. He had just announced his engagement to Grace Binns in January 1942. In 1930 his father Gustaf was a farmer. His mother was Esther, sisters Edith, Clara, Selma and Lillian, and brothers Albert and John.

His father was listed as next of kin.

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.