EUGENE J. HUNTEMER, ENS, USN
Eugene Huntemer '43
Lucky Bag
From the 1943 Lucky Bag:
EUGENE JAMES HUNTEMER
Wayne, Nebraska
A staunch supporter of his home state, Jean will always take time out to tell you "how they do it back in Nebraska." Easy to talk to, and a grand person to live with, he made many close friends, both among those at the academy and the drags he favors on the weekends. An athlete of no mean ability, he played basketball, winning three awards, and helped out the battalion track team. Besides being an athlete, he has, by his efficient way of doing things well, earned the unjust reputation of being somewhat of a cut-throat. Jean is sure to be a success as an officer and we sincerely hope to be his shipmate someday.
He was commander of 3rd Company for the first set and a member of the basketball team.
The Class of 1943 was graduated in June 1942 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
EUGENE JAMES HUNTEMER
Wayne, Nebraska
A staunch supporter of his home state, Jean will always take time out to tell you "how they do it back in Nebraska." Easy to talk to, and a grand person to live with, he made many close friends, both among those at the academy and the drags he favors on the weekends. An athlete of no mean ability, he played basketball, winning three awards, and helped out the battalion track team. Besides being an athlete, he has, by his efficient way of doing things well, earned the unjust reputation of being somewhat of a cut-throat. Jean is sure to be a success as an officer and we sincerely hope to be his shipmate someday.
He was commander of 3rd Company for the first set and a member of the basketball team.
The Class of 1943 was graduated in June 1942 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
Loss
Eugene was lost when USS Cushing (DD 376) was sunk early on the morning of November 13, 1942 during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Eugene was nominated to the Naval Academy by Congressman Karl Stefan of Norfolk.
From The Grand Island Daily Independent, December 14, 1942:
While attending the naval academy Ensign Huntemer was a star athlete and played on the Annapolis varsity basketball team as right guard. After graduation, he was assigned to a destroyer where he had charge of the torpedo crew and was also the official censor for his ship. He was a graduate of the Wayne college preparatory school and for two years attended the State Teachers college at Wayne before receiving his appointment to the U. S. naval academy.
His father, E. J. Huntemer was for many years on the faculty at the Wayne State Teachers college and is now a line engineer for the Q. O. company at the Cornhusker Ordnance plant.
His parents received Eugene’s Purple Heart award in March 1944. They were to also receive the American Defense Service medal with fleet clasp, the Asiatic-Pacific area campaign medal, and citation from the Nebraska Advisory Defense committee bearing the signature of Gov Griswold and the American Legion’s Gold Star citation.
In October 1969, Eugene’s mother and sister, now Mrs. Maurice Ternus, gifted $1,000 for a memorial scholarship in the name of his father Prof. E. J. Huntemer and Eugene.
From the Class of 1943 anniversary book "25 years later…":
Gene was born in Wayne, Nebraska on 13 August 1919. He was appointed from Nebraska and entered the Academy on 8 June 1939. After graduation he re ported to the destroyer CUSHING. On 13 November 1942 the CUSHING was torpedoed and sunk in the Third Battle of Savo Island. Gene lost his life in that engagement. He won the Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal with fleet clasp and the Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal. He was survived by his parents Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Huntermer who at Gene's death resided at 710 W. First Street, Grand Island, Nebraska.
He has a memory marker in Nebraska.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
