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| James M. Hingson Capt. USN (Ret) | ||
| My father
was many things; farm boy from Alabama, Naval Academy grad, Pentagon
warrior, loving husband and father. In my mind, most of all, he
was a submariner. On the decks of Pennsylvania, Sunday evening December 7th 1941, in Pearl Harbor, he recalled watching a submarine maneuver out of the harbor....the only thing moving that way at that horrible time, and moving out to carry the war to Japan. Within a year Dad was back from sub school, aboard Tuna. Then part of the commissioning crew of Batfish, where he stayed for five patrols with C.O.s Merrill and Fyfe, then I believe to Sargo with Garnett, by war's end, followed by command of Sarda and Diodon. His story is not decked in glorious events, but it is a story unique to those who volunteered and fought in the Silent Service. This tribute is personal, and echoes back to a time in my life when as a very young boy, he was a hero just for wearing dolphins and putting to sea with other heroes, on long gray tubes, to do their part. He kept in touch with submariners. I met many over the years. I went to a Batfish reunion several years ago, and listened to tolling bells at evening meal for those on Eternal Patrol. Now, Dad is too. He passed away on 22 March 1999. I made sure his dolphins and War Patrol pin were properly attached to his dress whites, for his last formal earthly function. We engraved an outline of the patrol pin on his marker. I hope others will feel motivated to submit tributes to lost loved ones of this particular breed of men. Curt Hingson |
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| This section of submarinesailor.com is reserved, and dedicated to, tributes to fellow shipmates on Eternal Patrol. If you wish to make a tribute, please email it our way (please include your name, boat and rate as applicable). | ||
