ARCHIBALD STONE, JR., LT, USN

Archibald Stone, Jr. '34

Date of birth: May 1, 1910

Date of death: March 1, 1942

Age: 31

Lucky Bag

From the 1934 Lucky Bag:

ARCHIBALD STONE, JR.

Newburgh, New York

"Ad" "Archie" "Aston" "Junior"

BECAUSE the lure of the heavier seas cast its spell over the First Mate of the Sea Scout schooner Theresa White, Archie decided to go in for a big time Navy by becoming a humble Midshipman.

Archie's athletic Forte is crew; for four years he has pulled oars and has rowed in two Poughkeepsies.

Although a Red Mike of the first caliber, he has been seen with a member of the fairer sex several times during the four years. Academics bother Archie very little — he can usually pull out his 2.5. Be the pap sheet big or be it small, you'll usually be able to find Archie there in all his glory.

Archie's big hobby is yachting — and what a collection of yachting magazines he has. If there's anything you want to know about any of these pleasure craft, just look him up — he'll even design one for you before you can tear yourself away.

Through his good nature, quiet manner, willingness to help and never say die spirit, Archie is the kind of man you are proud to know as a friend and the kind of man who is bound to succeed. Whether the future finds him in the U. S. Navy or the U. S. Outside, our best wishes go with him, for we are convinced he was surely born to command.

Tennis Manager 4, 3, 2, 1. tNt 1. Boxing 4. 2 P.O.

ARCHIBALD STONE, JR.

Newburgh, New York

"Ad" "Archie" "Aston" "Junior"

BECAUSE the lure of the heavier seas cast its spell over the First Mate of the Sea Scout schooner Theresa White, Archie decided to go in for a big time Navy by becoming a humble Midshipman.

Archie's athletic Forte is crew; for four years he has pulled oars and has rowed in two Poughkeepsies.

Although a Red Mike of the first caliber, he has been seen with a member of the fairer sex several times during the four years. Academics bother Archie very little — he can usually pull out his 2.5. Be the pap sheet big or be it small, you'll usually be able to find Archie there in all his glory.

Archie's big hobby is yachting — and what a collection of yachting magazines he has. If there's anything you want to know about any of these pleasure craft, just look him up — he'll even design one for you before you can tear yourself away.

Through his good nature, quiet manner, willingness to help and never say die spirit, Archie is the kind of man you are proud to know as a friend and the kind of man who is bound to succeed. Whether the future finds him in the U. S. Navy or the U. S. Outside, our best wishes go with him, for we are convinced he was surely born to command.

Tennis Manager 4, 3, 2, 1. tNt 1. Boxing 4. 2 P.O.

Loss

Archie was lost when USS Pecos (AO 6) was sunk by Japanese carrier-based aircraft on March 1, 1942.

Wartime Service

He had been a member of USS Stewart (DD 224)'s wardroom until sometime after February 22nd. Stewart had been damaged in battle on February 20 and was abandoned and then scuttled in port; her officers and crew went to other ships (including Pecos.)

From the post-sinking report of Pecos's commanding officer:

Lieutenant Archibald Stone, Jr., U.S. Navy, by his courage, determination, and leadership kept the 3' antiaircraft guns firing throughout the action at their best. When the crew of the #6 gun had been reduced by casualties below the number necessary to man it, although himself wounded in the face by bomb fragments, he pointed the gun throughout the remainder of the action. Lieutenant Stone has previously been recommended by the Commanding Officer, U.S.S. STEWART for courageous conduct in a previous action.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Archibald was appointed to the Naval Academy by Representative Hamilton Fish. In a newspaper article in the Poughkeepsie Journal, September 28, 1942, Fish said “Several months ago Commander Archie Stone Jr., of Newburgh, another graduate of the Naval academy was reported missing in the sinking of a warship. He was serving as a gunnery officer. He was last seen, although wounded, directing the anti-aircraft guns against the attacking Japanese bombers. It was the second ship sunk under him.
“Commander Stone was an outstanding athlete at Annapolis, and he was considered one of the finest younger officers in the Navy. He also has two brothers in the service.”

His wife was listed as next of kin.

Silver Star

From Hall of Valor:

(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Lieutenant Archibald Stone, Jr. (NSN: 0-73516), United States Navy, was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy during World War II.
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant

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.