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GENE VERNON KELLOGG : 1933 - 1945 ARCHIVE OF ORIGINAL PAPERS [35+] AND DIARY [1] OF ONE REMARKABLE AMERICAN SAILOR AND MEMBER OF THE FAMED FIGHTING SEABEES

24mo - over 5" - 5¾" tall. On offer is a super, very interesting archive of one amazing American sailor's service aboard the USS Altair. Included is a 1933 manuscript diary handwritten by 20 year old, already a 3 year veteran seaman!, Gene Vernon Kellogg [b.May 27, 1914 Hansboro, North Dakota] SC1c V6 USNR 328 31 02 US Navy who was part of the 59th US Navy Construction Battalion [the famed Seabees]. The diary and some of the ephemeral pieces provide a look at the young Gene who went from a Ship`s Cook Striker to promotion to Able Seaman 2nd Class to his discharge in 1935 and the balance of the papers begin with his heroic reenlistment soon after Pearl Harbor a mere few months after his marriage at age 28, he was trained to combat and construction and became one of the first enlisted men of the `Fighting Seabees`. Using a 5 year diary Kellogg identifies himself and the ship on the fep and then dates the first entry 1933 with daily entries up to March 16th 1933 with a charming mix of the mundane ship duties and interesting personal entries regarding women he is seeing in San Diego, hijinks like going off with a shipmate to buy something to make gin fizzy and a number of other interesting notes that sailors and naval men will appreciate. Besides a large number of addresses of women he writes to there are several pages of addresses presumably of his shipmates. The ephemera includes: July 4th, 1934 ship menu for the USS Altair, San Diego, California; a statement of service dated 5/25/35 for USS Altair signed by B.H. Bieri, commander of the US Navy; a one-sheet schedule dated May 14, 1935 from the USS Altair, signed by B.H. Bieri; a Sea Detail sheet dated May 16, 1935, USS Altair; a Crew Money List dated May 18, 1935, USS Altair; sheets of Radio Press News from the USS Sonoma, dated March 1934; a Train Squadron Two sheet for the USS Pinola dated Jan 10, 1934; a memo dated May 16, 1935 for USS Altair; a "Specification of Offense" (court-martial?) sheet date Apr 1934 from the captain of the USS Rigel; Three bills of fare for General Mess for USS Altair, two dated July 1934 and one dated May 1935; 5 newspaper/magazine clippings; a Movie Program ticket dated Dec 1934 to see Palooka, with Jimmie Durante and Lupe Veley; an Individual Clothing Slip dated 1936; an article slip dated 1934; a telegram sent to the 59 Naval Construction BN Care Fleet post office sent 1944; a Recruit Identification Card (quite worn) dated 1942; a US Navy Rating Description for a Ship's Cook, 1945; a Receiving Ship Barracks Treasure Island, Calif; 1945; a portion of a menu from Hawaii, 1943; a Fifty-Ninth US Naval Construction Battalion letterhead with letter to the navy man, dated 1944; 3 small remitter receipts; a worn and torn blue sheet from USS Altair with menu items on it; an equipment sheet for the ordnance officer 59th Naval Construction Battalion 1943; a small red menu with rather bawdry language with a "menu" with sexual innuendo; a paper label for a German Beer Munchener Hofbrau, on the backside is written, "This is a German Beer we got in Panama And it don't take many bottles to knock you for a loop especially out in the sun; Have a shot"; a US Naval hospital form letter; a one-sheet folded map titled "Finding Your Way in Camp," but name of location is not given; VA Office letter related to the seaman's discharge, 1945; application for Servicemen's Readjustment Allowance, 1945; State of Oregon letter regarding seaman's honorable discharge, 1945; Form letter from US Employment Service to the seaman, 1945. In total there are about 36 documents, orders, and other ephemera dated 1934 to 1945 in varying states of wear but overall G+. The diary is G.. Book Condition: Good+

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