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Smith, MM1/c Raymond J.

SmithR
Last updated on October 28, 2021

MM1/c Raymond Jennings Smith 
Born: 1 January 1914 – Kankakee, Illinois 
Parents: Fred & Laura Jennings 
– Fred was his step-father 
Siblings: 1 sister 
– He used Jennings as his last name, but Smith was his last name on his birth certificate and he was required to use it in the Navy
Home: 
– 611 South Seventh Avenue, Maywood, Illinois 
– the family moved to Maywood when he was eight from Kankakee, Illinois 
Nickname: “Bus” 
Education: 
– Emerson School 
– Proviso Township High School 
– Class of 1932 
Enlisted: 
– 3 April 1939 
– used his step-father’s last name, Jennings, on his high school records 
– Navy required that he use the last name that appeared on his birth certificate- served in Navy as “Raymond Jennings Smith” 
Serial Number: 3808344 
Rank: Machinist Mate Second Class 
Ships:
U.S.S. Chicago 
U.S.S. San Francisco – 8 April 1939 
U.S.S. Pope – 31 March 1941 
Engagements: 
– Battle of Balikpapan, Borneo 
– Battle of Badung Strait, Bali 
– Battle of Lombok Straits 
– At the Battle of the Java Sea, HMS Exeter suffered torpedo damage 
– The Pope was assigned as an escort for HMS Exeter to Ceylon, India – 29 February 1942 
– The Pope did not take part in battle because of problems with its freshwater system 
HMS Encounter was also given this duty – 28 February 1942 
– Exeter needed repairs from torpedo damage 
– 1 March 1942 – three ships found themselves in the midst of a 13 ship Japanese convoy 
– Both the Encounter and Exeter were sunk 
– The Pope attempted to escape 
– hit by bombs from Japanese planes the Pope began to take on water 
– Bus was thrown into the sea when the ship was hit 
– remained in the water for three days until picked up by the Japanese 
– the crew attempted to save the Pope, but the ship was taking on water faster than they could pump it out 
– the crew abandoned ship as she sank 
Prisoner of War: 
– 2 March 1942 
– Japanese Destroyer Ikazuchi picks up survivors of Pope and Encounter 
– Makassar POW Camp, Dutch East Indies 
Died: 
– 28 April 1945 
– prison hospital – Makassar, Dutch East Indies – beriberi and malaria 
Buried: 
– Mount Emblem Cemetery – Elmhurst, Illinois 
– Section: J Lot: 541 Grave: 3 
Promoted: Posthumously to Machinist Mate First Class 

 

 

Jennings R Grave

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