USS Neosho: Survivors and Casualties

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U.S.S. Neosho:

List of Survivors and Casualties

This is a nearly-complete list of the survivors and casualties of the attack on the navy tanker U.S.S. Neosho by Japanese dive-bombers during the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 7, 1942. Of the 546 men onboard the U.S.S. Neosho and its valiant escort, the destroyer U.S.S. Sims on the morning of the attack, 423 men died during the battle or its aftermath and 123 survived.

In some ways, I consider this and my accompanying page on the survivors and casualties of the U.S.S. Sims to be the most important pages in my website. I created these two pages in 2003 when there were no comprehensive sources available on the Internet or in books that included the names of the crewmen who served aboard the Neosho and Sims during the battle. In the many years since then, I've slowly added to these two lists, piecing together information from various sources. In early 2005, a website reader sent me two mostly-complete lists of casualties from the Navy Bureau of Personnel, one for the U.S.S. Neosho and one for the U.S.S. Sims, which I've incorporated here. Nearly 20 years after I first posted these two pages, I'm still in the process of compiling these lists and will continue to add to them over time as more information becomes available.

If you know the names of any survivors or casualties of the U.S.S. Neosho during the Battle of the Coral Sea, please contact me and I'll post their name(s) on this page. And if you'd care to share any stories or information about them, I'll be happy to post it on my USS Neosho Veteran's Forum page.

Key

1c = First Class

2c = Second Class

3c = Third Class

j.g. = Junior Grade

* = Name obtained from Navy Bureau of Personnel list.

** = Name submitted by website reader.

SURVIVING OFFICERS
Name	Rank	Comments
Henry K. Bradford	Lieutenant
Thomas M. Brown	Lieutenant Commander	Gunnery Officer.
Charles C. Cook	Lieutenant (j.g.)
William G. Driscoll	Lieutenant (j.g.)
Francis J. Firth	Lieutenant Commander	Executive Officer. Wounded in action.
Leonard F. Gearin	Ensign
Robert N. Hargis	Ensign, D-M
Paul N. Howell	Ensign
Estul F. Nessmith	Lieutenant (j.g.)
John S. Phillips	Captain
Kenneth S. Terrill	Ensign
Louis Verbrugge	Lieutenant	Engineering Officer.
SURVIVING ENLISTED MEN
Name	Rank	Comments
Sidney Arboneaux **	Unknown
Charles Baker	Unknown
Harold C. Bagwell	Metalsmith 2c
Wilbert A. Becker	Mach. Mate 2c	Wounded in action.*
Herbert L. Bennett	Fireman 1c	From Texas. Later served on U.S.S. Neosho (AO-48).
Robert T. Boehm	Shipfitter 2c
Lawrence Boyer	Metalsmith 1c	Wounded in action.*
William D. Boynton	Seaman 2c
Harold Bratt	Machinist's Mate 1c
Tony Bustos	Unknown
Francis E. Chapin	Fireman 3c	Wounded in action.*
Grover Chessmore	Unknown
George E. Cruttenden	Seaman 1c	Wounded in action
Harvey L. Dyer	Water Tender 1c	Wounded in action.*
Meredith E. Ebbert	Seaman 1c
Frederick W. Fabian	Machinist's Mate 1c	Wounded in action.*
Edward A. Flaherty	Electrician's Mate 3c	Transferred from U.S.S. Portland to U.S.S. Neosho on May 6, 1942.
Oswald J. Frenette	Unknown
Charles A. Hagewood	Seaman 1c
Jerry Hall	Seaman 2c	Wounded in action.*
Iris F. Hoffman	Seaman 2c	Wounded in action.*
Robert W. Hoag	Chief Pharmacist's Mate
Patrick J. Jackson	Boatswain's Mate 1c
William C. King	Construction Electrician's Mate	Wounded in action.*
Uriel H. Leach	Machinist	Chief Warrant Officer. Wounded in action
William A. Leu	Fireman 3c	From Washington. Later served on U.S.S. Neosho (AO-48). Died in 2003.
Robert Ledford	Seaman 1c
Russell Lollar	Unknown
John E. Lowe	Storekeeper 3c	Wounded in action.*
Nicholas G. Marchese	Ship's Cook 2c
Vernon R. Manners	Boatswain
Lorenza McNair	OC 1c	Wounded in action.*
Arthur R. McPherson	Seaman 2c
Doug J. Nelson	Signalman 3c	Transferred from U.S.S. Portland to U.S.S. Neosho on May 6, 1942.
Elvin G. Newman	Seaman 2c	Wounded in action.*
James T. Nix	Machinist's Mate 1c	Wounded in action.
Gilbert M. O'Grady	O-1
Samuel Ogur	Chief Boatswain's Mate	Wounded in action.*
Leopoldo Paloma	Officer's Steward 1c
Thomas J. Parker	Boatswain's Mate
William S. Parker	Chief Radioman
Loren B. Parkhurst	Fireman 3c
Ralph Patterson	Unknown
Albert V. Paulek	Shipfitter 3c	Wounded in action.*
LeRoy Pearce	Unknown
Gilbert Percifield	Unknown
Walter J. Perowitz	Chief Machinist's Mate
John J. Peterson	Seaman 2c	Rank is probable but unverified.
Alex Pupkin	Yeoman 1c
Wallace P. Quillan	Seaman 1c	Also survived the attack on U.S.S. Arizona at Pearl Harbor.
Junior E. Reigle	Unknown
Anthony Rella	Unknown
Harold A. Reynolds	Fireman 1c	Wounded in action.
William Romanofsky	Storekeeper 2c
Jack Rolston	Seaman 2c	Survivor of 68-man raft. From Missouri. Last survivor of the raft. Died in 2010.
Cecil Sawyer	Unknown
Grant Seward	Unknown
Francis J. Shea	Chief Gunner's Mate
Leroy S. Shogren	Apprentice Seaman	Wounded in action.
Wayne Simmons	Machinists Mate 2c
Addison F. Smith	Quartermaster 3c
William A. Smith	Seaman 2c	Rescued by U.S.S. Helm, May 16, 1942. Survivor of 68-man raft. From Idaho.
Wilbern L. Stovall	Chief Boatswain's Mate
Lorenzo Tyner	Officer's Cook 2c
William J. Ward	Pharmacist's Mate 1c
James L. Watchler	Coxwain
James M. Weber	Quartermaster 2c
Samuel Wells	Unknown
Ernest W. Wobrell	Chief Electrician's Mate
John H. Wortham	Mess Attendant 2c

Plus 32 other men

ROLL OF HONOR
Name	Rank	Comments
Robert T. Allsopp	Lieutenant (j.g.)	Killed in action.
Mitchell E. Andrews	Seaman 1c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Missouri.
Beverly Annis	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. Brother of Bruce Annis. From Walnut Creek, California.
Bruce Annis	Seaman 2c	M.I.A. on May 7, 1942. Brother of Beverly Annis. From Walnut Creek, California.
Benjamin F. Baggarly	Chief Construction Mechanic	Died on U.S.S. Neosho on May 9, 1942.
Floyd D. Bailey	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Illinois.
Carl F. Baird	Seaman 1c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Nebraska.
Frank J. Baker	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.
Frank Balzer	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Missouri.
William J. Bannen	Baker 1c	Killed in action.*
Stuart C. Battenfield	Fireman 3c	Reported missing in action on May 7, 1942
Ernest J. Beech	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From California.
Louis R. Blackburn	Seaman 1c	Killed in action.*
Richard M. Blood	Yeoman 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From California.
Edward C. Blue	Fireman 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From California.
Harry F. Bradshaw	Seaman 1c	Killed in action.*
Kenneth T. Bright	Seaman 2c	Survivor of the 68-man raft. Rescued by U.S.S. Helm on May 16, 1942. Died May 17, 1942. From Missouri.
Leon M. Brooks	Construction Mechanic 2c	Died on U.S.S. Neosho on May 8, 1942.
Voris V. Brownfield	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Arthur Bunch, Jr.	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Missouri.
George Bundy	Gunner's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
Dennis D. Burger	Construction Mechanic 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Iowa.
Albert J. Busky	Gunner's Mate 3c	Killed in action.*
Thomas H. Cameron	Gunner's Mate 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From New Jersey.
Louis R. Cardy	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Herman E. Carter	Machinist's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
Mark A. Casella	Quartermaster 2c	Killed in action.*
Henry T. Chapman	Fireman 1c	Died on U.S.S. Neosho on May 9, 1942.
Davis M. Charlton	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
David A. Christian	Fireman 3c	Died on U.S.S. Neosho on May 9, 1942.
Richard C. Clark	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Willie Coates	Mate 2c	Died on U.S.S. Neosho on May 10, 1942.
Allie Collette	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Leland R. Collier	Electrician's Mate 3c	Killed in action.*
Virgil W. Colson	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Claud C. Cooper	Gunner's Mate 3c	Killed in action.*
Earl I. Couse	Storekeeper 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From California.
Ross C. Covina	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Noel E. Craven	Seaman 2c	Died on U.S.S. Neosho on May 10, 1942. From Missouri.
Rex B. Crawley	Radioman 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Idaho.
Lynn J. Creech	Fireman 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Idaho.
Louis B. Crosby	Signalman 2c	Killed in action.*
Loren B. Crouch	Storekeeper 2c	Reported K.I.A. on May 7, 1942. From Texas.
Pearlin G. Cox	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Rex B. Crowley	Radioman 3c	Killed in action.*
Russell L. Croxen	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Harold V. Cummins	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Manuel S. Davilla	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From California.
August M. D'Hondt	Seaman 1c	Died on the 68-man raft.
Kenneth L. Dowdy	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Roland Q. Dudley	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Audress C. Dunn	Fireman 2c	Died on the U.S.S. Neosho. From Mounds, Illinois.
Edmund L. Dunn	Radioman 3c	Killed in action.*
James H. Ellis	Fireman 3c	Killed in action.*
Fermin Felosofo	Officer's Cook 2c	Killed in action.*
Attilio J. Ferrari	Seaman 1c	Killed in action.*
Dale F. Flory	Watertender 2c	Killed in action.*
William K. Forbes	Radioman 3c	Killed in action.*
Howard J. Foster	Fireman 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Washington.
Robert L. Fredrickson	Storekeeper 3c	Killed in action.*
Herman A. Frohnhafer	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft
Delvan C. Gaylord	Electrician's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
Joseph A. Gelinas	Watertender 1c	Killed in action.*
George W. Goff	Fireman 3c	Killed in action.*
Hugh T. Gonia	Seaman 1c	Died on U.S.S. Neosho on May 10, 1942.
Robert K. Gracey	Fireman 1c	Killed in action.*
John D. Greathouse	Lieutenant (j.g.)	Killed in action.*
Brevis M. Gregston	Seaman 1c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Texas.
Luis Gutierrez	Seaman 2c.	Died on the 68-man raft. From California.
Dale W. Guthrie	Fireman 3c	Killed in action.*
Julio M. Guzman	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Guam.
William C. Hackworth	Fireman 1c	Killed in action.*
William Hames	Seaman 1c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Missouri.
Charles A. Hamrick	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Texas.
George L. Hanis	Seaman 1c	Killed in action.*
James W. Hardwick	Seaman 2c	Manned forward gun battery. M.I.A. From Texas.
Otis A. Hartman	Fireman 1c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Missouri.
Albin M. Haugen	Machinist's Mate 1c	Killed in action.*
Elliott D. Haynes	Gunner's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
Grover H. Hough	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Missouri.
James K. Howard	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
John C. Hudson	Fireman 3c	Killed in action.*
David G. Huntsman	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Idaho.
Marchell R. Hurst	Machinist's Mate 1c	Died on the 68-man raft.
Donald E. Hyde	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Henry A. Irons	Seaman 1c	Killed in action.*
Alfred J. Jablonski	Seaman 1c	Killed in action.*
Ernest C. Johnson	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft.
Robert Johnson	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Herbert Jones	Unknown	Missing in action.
Marvin E. Kynerd	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft.
Elbert F. Lacy	Signalman 1c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Kentucky.
Lewis L. Lane	Fireman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From California.
Llewellyn L. Larson	Seaman 1c	Killed in action.*
Harold W. Levy	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From California.
Robert L. Lormis	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Missouri.
Chan Lyman	Ensign	Killed in action.*
Clyde B. Lynch	Watertender 1c	Killed in action.*
Ralph H. Magnuson	Machinist's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
Winston T. Manry	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
George H. Mansfield	Electrician	Died on the 68-man raft. From Tennessee.
Darrel F. Matzdorf	Fireman 3c	Killed in action.*
Raymond E. Medow	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Earl J. Miller	Fireman 3c	Killed in action.*
Thomas R. Miller	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft.
Alvia L. Minor	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.* From Oklahoma.
Vimmy M. Mitchell	Steward's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
Anthony M. Mondi	Fireman 2c	Killed in action.*
Eugene J. Montanari	Seaman 1c	Killed in action.*
Christopher Montano	PRT 3c	Killed in action.*
Elijah W. Moore	Machinist's Mate 1c	Killed in action.*
Raymond G. Moreau	Machinist's Mate 1c	Killed in action.*
Hal A. Nelson	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Harrison S. Nobbs	Chief Radioman	Transferred to U.S.S. Neosho from U.S.S. Yorktown. Died on the 68-man raft. From Florida.
Sinforoso Paguirican	Steward's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
Joseph R. Palmer	Shipfitter 3c	Killed in action.*
Charles D. Parker	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Texas.
Melvin W. Parmenter	Fireman 2c	Killed in action.*
Harry J. Patterson	Electrician's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
Leroy D. Pearce	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Kansas.
Oscar J. Peterson	Ensign	Killed in action.*
Oscar V. Peterson	Chief Watertender	Died on U.S.S. Henley, May 13, 1942.
Robert L. Peterson	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Ralph P. Plumb	Ensign	Killed in action.*
Julian Ponce	Fireman 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From California.
Richard M. Prentice	Fireman 1c	Killed in action.*
Robert H. Pursley	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Arkansas.
Stanley E. Raimer	Ship's Cook 3c	Killed in action.*
James F. Ramos	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Floyd T. Resley	Fireman 3c	Missing in action
William L. Reynolds	Chief Watertender	Killed in action.*
Emil J. Rogalla	Gunner's Mate 1c	Died on the 68-man raft. From California.
Joseph R. Rogers	Electrician's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
Earnest F. Roland	Fireman 3c	Killed in action.*
Gerald W. Routledge	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft.
Marshall L. Rowell	Seaman 2c	Missing in action.
Richard H. Rowley	Machinist's Mate 1c	Killed in action.*
Garvin D. Runyan	CCSP	Killed in action.*
James E. Saul	Coxswain	Died on the 68-man raft. From Pennsylvania.
Cecil D. Sawyer	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Frank A. Scarborough	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Arkansas.
Eugene H. Self	Yeoman 3c	Killed in action.*
Wendell A. Shaw	Boatswain's Mate 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Ohio.
Robert W. Shroyer	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Colorado.
Glen W. Smith	Unknown	Died on the 68-man raft.
Leonard Q. Smith	Baker 3c	Killed in action.*
Samuel H. Soliday	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Carl C. Stebbins	Radioman 3c	Missing in action (5/7/42). From Byron Center, Michigan.
George A. Stewart	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Tennessee.
Donald A. Stewart	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Robert E. Stretch	Fireman 1c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Michigan.
Ernest Strouse	Watertender 2c	Killed in action.*
Craig L. Strozda	Watertender 2c	Died on the 68-man raft.
Donald F. Stubblefield	Seaman 1c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Oregon.
Clifford Tatge	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
John E. Theriac	Fireman 3c	Killed in action.*
Leland E. Thompson	Unknown	Died on the 68-man raft.
Earl D. Thornton	Steward's Mate 3c	Killed in action.*
Leonard A. Thorpe	Fireman 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Missouri.
Philip J. Toner	Seaman 2c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Washington.
Victor N. Toney	Seaman 1c	Killed in action.*
Henry W. Tucker	Pharmacist's Mate 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Alabama.
Thaddeus O. Tunnel	Seaman 2c	Survivor of the 68-man raft. Rescued by U.S.S. Helm on May 16, 1942. Died in Australia. From Arkansas.
Charles H. Tyler	Storekeeper 3c	Killed in action.*
Chester D. Underwood	Machinist's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
John W. Varnum	Ship's Cook 2c	Killed in action.*
Jack C. Vogan	Machinist's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
Othello F. Wadley	Steward's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
Prospero E. Walker	Steward's Mate 2c	Killed in action.*
Oliver Ward	Warrant Officer	Killed in action.*
William H. Webb	Gunner's Mate 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From California.
Clarence J. Webre	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Louis H. Weidner	Signalman 2c	Killed in action.*
James B. Wheeler	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*
Robert L. White	Ship's Cook 2c	Killed in action.*
Lester L. Williams	Machinist's Mate 2c	Died on the 68-man raft.
Nelson M. Wilson	Ship's Cook 1c	Killed in action.*
Edward N. Wolf	Fireman 3c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Kansas.
George A. Wood	Seaman 1c	Died on the 68-man raft. From Michigan.
Vernon A. Zeddies	Seaman 2c	Killed in action.*