Monday, November 15, 2010

A Pearl Harbor Coincidence-- Part 2

Here is the article about Robert Coyne from the October 14th Lehigh Acres (Fl) Citizen. "Pearl Harbor vet to celebrate 90th birthday."

Robert Coyne was born October 20, 1920 and grew up in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. He turned 18 in 1939 and went into the CCC before joining the Navy. After training in Newport, Rhode Island, he was sent overseas in the spring of 1941 aboard the destroyer leader USS Winslow.

From Long Beach, California he went to Pearl harbor aboard the USS Hull where he worked on the bridge as a signal man quartermaster.

December 7, 1941, found Mr. Coyne as a petty officer third class. "Yes, I was scared and I cried when it happened. Not ashamed to say so." When the attack started, he was in his bunk and remembers some yelling, "The Japs are attacking us!"

The Hull was tied up alongside the USS Dobbin, a destroyer tender. He grabbed his shorts and ran up to the bridge and saw action and the USS Arizona blowing up.

More to Come.

The Day of Infamy. --Cooter

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