JOHN K. BISSON, LCDR, USN

From USNA Virtual Memorial Hall
John Bisson '30

Date of birth: October 7, 1908

Date of death: August 9, 1942

Age: 33

Lucky Bag

From the 1930 Lucky Bag:

1930 Bisson LB.jpg

JOHN KENNETH BISSON

Charleston, Illinois

"Jokey" "Jack" "Buffalo"

IF you don't see Jakey, you can usually find him because of his many ways of making his presence known. Singing is his weakness, two-sixth and four-fifth notes his specialty; and his own famous phrase "Erre con erre cigarros—I don't know what it means, but you've got to roll your R's."

You will find him plugging away at something all year round, and no matter what he does you can be sure it is being done in a thorough manner. The academic departments have laid snares for him in vain, for his untiring determination has kept his name from those fatal lists.

Almost any season finds Jakey pacing out a few miles on the cinders; thus his billet on the varsity track team. He would rather run than eat. Have you an ailment? Bring it to Jakey; he can diagnose it as thoroughly as a doctor. Do you need bandages, tape or iodine? He has them all. But be human; don't ask for too much, because he will give you the shirt off his back.

He seldom drags. Though not a confirmed "Mike," he possesses temperate tastes. However, by the number of letters he writes, one would believe he had fan mail. Spelling is his weakness—"Say, how do you spell excentive, no axcentive—maybe it's incentive? Well, anyhow, spell it, will you?"

Track 4, 3, 2, 1, Numerals 4, 3, 2; Cross Country 3, 2, 1, Numerals 3; NA 2, 1; Wrestling 4.

1930 Bisson LB.jpg

JOHN KENNETH BISSON

Charleston, Illinois

"Jokey" "Jack" "Buffalo"

IF you don't see Jakey, you can usually find him because of his many ways of making his presence known. Singing is his weakness, two-sixth and four-fifth notes his specialty; and his own famous phrase "Erre con erre cigarros—I don't know what it means, but you've got to roll your R's."

You will find him plugging away at something all year round, and no matter what he does you can be sure it is being done in a thorough manner. The academic departments have laid snares for him in vain, for his untiring determination has kept his name from those fatal lists.

Almost any season finds Jakey pacing out a few miles on the cinders; thus his billet on the varsity track team. He would rather run than eat. Have you an ailment? Bring it to Jakey; he can diagnose it as thoroughly as a doctor. Do you need bandages, tape or iodine? He has them all. But be human; don't ask for too much, because he will give you the shirt off his back.

He seldom drags. Though not a confirmed "Mike," he possesses temperate tastes. However, by the number of letters he writes, one would believe he had fan mail. Spelling is his weakness—"Say, how do you spell excentive, no axcentive—maybe it's incentive? Well, anyhow, spell it, will you?"

Track 4, 3, 2, 1, Numerals 4, 3, 2; Cross Country 3, 2, 1, Numerals 3; NA 2, 1; Wrestling 4.

Loss

John was lost when USS Vincennes (CA 44) was sunk early in the morning of August 9, 1942 by Japanese surface forces at the Battle of Savo Island.

Other Information

From A Log of the Vincennes:

Lieutenant Commander Bisson was born at Abingdon, Illinois, on November 25, 1906. He was appointed Midshipman from the Nineteenth Illinois District on June 28, 1926, and was graduated from the United States Naval Academy four years later. From 1930 to 1932, he served on board the U.S.S. Texas and the U.S.S. Hatfield. He was commissioned Lieutenant (jg) February 26, 1934, to rank from June 5, 1933. On June 20. 1938, he was commissioned Lieutenant (sg) to rank from June 2 of that year. He served on the U.S.S. Lawrence from April 2, 1934, to September 24, 1934. He also served with Destroyer Squadron Five from November 26, 1934, to April 13, 1937.

On June 28, 1937, Lieutenant Commander Bisson went to the Naval Academy for instruction at the Post Graduate School where he remained until May 20, 1939. Shortly thereafter he was assigned to the Naval Boiler Laboratory, at Philadelphia, for further instruction. From June 23, 1939, to March 13, 1942, he served on board the U.S.S. Gridley as Engineer Officer and later as Executive Officer. On April 26, 1942, he reported for duty as Engineer Officer on the Vincennes, and while serving on that ship he was commissioned Lieutenant Commander to rank from June 15, 1942. He was among those listed as missing in action after the sinking of the Vincennes in the Battle of Savo Island. His wife, Mrs. Melba Bisson, lives at 565 Geary Street, Sail Francisco.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

John married Melba Basham in 1932. His father Walter was a physician, and his brother Maurice graduated from West Point in June, 1928, and became an aviator.

His wife was listed as next of kin; he was also survived by his parents, two brothers (one of whom was a graduate of West Point), and his sister. John has a memory marker in Illinois; he is also listed at the Courts of the Missing in Hawaii.

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.

October 1930
Ensign, USS Texas

January 1931
Ensign, USS Texas

April 1931
Ensign, USS Texas

October 1932
Ensign, USS Hatfield

Others at this command:
January 1933
Ensign, USS Hatfield

Others at this command:
April 1933
Ensign, USS Hatfield

Others at this command:
July 1933
Ensign, USS Hatfield

Others at this command:
October 1933
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hatfield
April 1934
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Lawrence
July 1934
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Lawrence
October 1934
Lieutenant (j.g.), for assignment, 16th Naval District

Others at this command:
January 1935
Lieutenant (j.g.), for assignment, Destroyer Squadron 5, USS Black Hawk
April 1935
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Edsall
October 1935
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Edsall
January 1936
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Edsall
April 1936
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Edsall
July 1936
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Edsall
January 1937
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Edsall
April 1937
Lieutenant (j.g.), engineering officer, USS Edsall
October 1939
Lieutenant, engineering officer, USS Gridley
June 1940
Lieutenant, engineering officer, USS Gridley
November 1940
Lieutenant, engineering officer, USS Gridley
April 1941
Lieutenant, engineering officer, USS Gridley


Class of 1930

John is one of 42 members of the Class of 1930 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

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