CENOTAPH, NO ASHES BURIED.
All Findagrave Memorial ID's: 29083971, 47088184, 56113904, 77246948
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Hugh R. Alexander, 43, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 17, 2021.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Alexander was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37), which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Alexander. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in saving the lives of several fellow crew members.
His name is permanently inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial: Find a Grave Memorial 56113904 and the USS Oklahoma Memorial: Find a Grave Memorial 77246948.
**In 2021 his remains were identified and in 2022 records resulted in him being posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal that he so richly deserved. He also received the Purple Heart** Thanks to Martin#50060690 for additional information∼Lieutenant Commander Hugh R. Alexander was Killed in Action on December 7, 1941, during the attack on Pear USS Oklahoma Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA Plot: Row 1.
Cmdr. Alexander enrolled in the USNRF at Baltimore, Maryland on 13 December 1917. He held a Certificate of Provisional Enrollment in Fifth Naval District as a Hospital Apprentice of First Class. (His father was a physician).
Called to active duty on 5 June 1918 and served until 20 December 1918. He received his commission on 29 June 1920 and served on active duty until his death.l Harbor. He was stationed aboard the USS Oklahoma BB-37.
Name of Award: Navy and Marine Corps Medal
Year Awarded: 1941
Details behind Award: Awarded for actions during the World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander (DC) Hugh Rossman Alexander (NSN: 0-56955), United States Navy, for heroism in operations against the enemy Japanese forces on 7 December 1941, while attached to and serving on board the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA (BB-37). Lieutenant Commander Alexander was aboard the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA during the attack made by the Japanese against the United States Naval Forces at Pearl Harbor. As a result of damage by the enemy the OKLAHOMA capsized shortly after the attack was begun, entrapping Lieutenant Commander Alexander and others in a compartment where portholes provided the only possible means of escape. Despite his knowledge of the desperate situation in which he was placed and with complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Commander Alexander heroically went about the crowded compartment and deliberately selected the more slender of those entrapped whom he conducted to the portholes and aided them in making their escape through these narrow openings. Continuing his intrepid action until the end, Lieutenant Commander Alexander gallantly laid down his life in order that his shipmates might live. This action on his part rendered him individually conspicuous among his comrades and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: December 7, 1941
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Ship: U.S.S. Oklahoma (BB-37)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hugh Rossman Alexander was born on 25 December 1896 in Potters Mills, Centre County, Pennsylvania. His nickname was "Al". His father, Dr. Samuel Hugh Alexander, born 10 September 1867 in Pennsylvania, died 21 June 1930 in Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, was a Physician. His mother, Sarah Catherine Smith was born on 10 July 1867 in Pennsylvania and died on 27 March 1927 in Union, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. Hugh's parents were married in 1892 in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. Hugh was the youngest of three sons in the family. He attended Belleville High School and was a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry.
He married Theresa Evelyn Mayer (20 February 1901 to 23 March 1989) on 20 June 1931 in Manhattan, New York City, New York. At the time of his death, they had a seven year-old daughter, Gloria, born in 1934 in Quantico, Virginia. Hugh had been previously married on 18 December 1922 to Lerline E. Lowery in San Diego, California. They divorced on 15 May 1931 in Norfolk, Virginia. Theresa had been previously married on 19 March 1921 to Oscar E. Dannegger in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They divorced on 7 February 1930.
Military
Hugh Rossman Alexander enlisted in the United States Navy on 13 December 1917 at Baltimore, Maryland. From 5 June 1918 to 20 December 1918, he served as a Hospital Apprentice on a submarine, the USS Martha Washington. He was discharged on 29 September 1921 at Washington, DC. In 1934, he received a Veteran's Bonus of $70.00 from the State of Pennsylvania for his service in World War I. It appears that after his discharge, he completed Dental School and returned to the Navy as a Dental Corps Officer. On 5 August 1940, he was assigned as the Ship's Dental Officer aboard the Battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37) which was stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii when the Japanese attack occurred.
On the morning of 7 December 1941, a fleet of Japanese carriers launched an air strike against the U.S. Pacific Fleet at anchor in Pearl Harbor, on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The attack decimated the ships and personnel of the fleet and thrust the United States into World War II. At the onset of the 7 December 1941 attack, the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37), being moored at berth Fox 5 on "Battleship Row." Just before 8 am, the Oklahoma was among the first of the ships struck in the attack. A torpedo struck on her port side and she capsized quickly. After the Arizona, she was the largest loss of life, at 429 sailors and marines. The Oklahoma was salvaged in 1942, but it was determined she could not be repaired. In May of 1947, she was sold for scrap and while under tow to California, she sank in a storm. Her exact location remains unknown to this day.
Death and Burial
Hugh Rossman Alexander was Declared Dead while Missing in Action or Lost at Sea on 7 December 1941 aboard the USS Oklahoma during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal (in 2018), the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and the Purple Heart Medal. He is memorialized at the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, located inside Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is also memorialized at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, San Diego County, California, Section: P, Site: 2977-A.
Dec. 14, 2021
WASHINGTON—The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Lt. Cmdr. Hugh R. Alexander, 43, of Potters Mills, Pennsylvania, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 17, 2021.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Alexander was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Alexander. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in saving the lives of several fellow crew members.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu'uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Alexander.
Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS Oklahoma Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Alexander's remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Alexander's name is recorded on the American Battle Monuments Commission's Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Alexander will be buried in San Diego. The date has yet to be determined.
DPAA ID Announcement, Press Release | April 27, 2021, USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Alexander, H.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Lt. Cmdr. Hugh R. Alexander, 43, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 17, 2021.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Alexander was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Alexander. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in saving the lives of several fellow crew members.
His Silver Star Citation follows:
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander (DC) Hugh Rossman Alexander (NSN: 0-56955), United States Navy, for gallantry in action against the enemy Japanese forces on 7 December 1941, while attached to and serving on board the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA (BB-37). Lieutenant Commander Alexander was aboard the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA during the attack made by the Japanese against the United States Naval Forces at Pearl Harbor. As a result of damage by the enemy the OKLAHOMA capsized shortly after the attack was begun, entrapping Lieutenant Commander Alexander and others in a compartment where portholes provided the only possible means of escape. Despite his knowledge of the desperate situation in which he was placed and with complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Commander Alexander heroically went about the crowded compartment and deliberately selected the more slender of those entrapped whom he conducted to the portholes and aided them in making their escape through these narrow openings. Continuing his intrepid action until the end, Lieutenant Commander Alexander gallantly laid down his life in order that his shipmates might live. This action on his part rendered him individually conspicuous among his comrades and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
All Findagrave Memorial ID's: 29083971, 47088184, 56113904, 77246948
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Hugh R. Alexander, 43, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 17, 2021.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Alexander was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37), which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Alexander. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in saving the lives of several fellow crew members.
His name is permanently inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial: Find a Grave Memorial 56113904 and the USS Oklahoma Memorial: Find a Grave Memorial 77246948.
**In 2021 his remains were identified and in 2022 records resulted in him being posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal that he so richly deserved. He also received the Purple Heart** Thanks to Martin#50060690 for additional information∼Lieutenant Commander Hugh R. Alexander was Killed in Action on December 7, 1941, during the attack on Pear USS Oklahoma Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA Plot: Row 1.
Cmdr. Alexander enrolled in the USNRF at Baltimore, Maryland on 13 December 1917. He held a Certificate of Provisional Enrollment in Fifth Naval District as a Hospital Apprentice of First Class. (His father was a physician).
Called to active duty on 5 June 1918 and served until 20 December 1918. He received his commission on 29 June 1920 and served on active duty until his death.l Harbor. He was stationed aboard the USS Oklahoma BB-37.
Name of Award: Navy and Marine Corps Medal
Year Awarded: 1941
Details behind Award: Awarded for actions during the World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander (DC) Hugh Rossman Alexander (NSN: 0-56955), United States Navy, for heroism in operations against the enemy Japanese forces on 7 December 1941, while attached to and serving on board the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA (BB-37). Lieutenant Commander Alexander was aboard the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA during the attack made by the Japanese against the United States Naval Forces at Pearl Harbor. As a result of damage by the enemy the OKLAHOMA capsized shortly after the attack was begun, entrapping Lieutenant Commander Alexander and others in a compartment where portholes provided the only possible means of escape. Despite his knowledge of the desperate situation in which he was placed and with complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Commander Alexander heroically went about the crowded compartment and deliberately selected the more slender of those entrapped whom he conducted to the portholes and aided them in making their escape through these narrow openings. Continuing his intrepid action until the end, Lieutenant Commander Alexander gallantly laid down his life in order that his shipmates might live. This action on his part rendered him individually conspicuous among his comrades and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: December 7, 1941
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Ship: U.S.S. Oklahoma (BB-37)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hugh Rossman Alexander was born on 25 December 1896 in Potters Mills, Centre County, Pennsylvania. His nickname was "Al". His father, Dr. Samuel Hugh Alexander, born 10 September 1867 in Pennsylvania, died 21 June 1930 in Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, was a Physician. His mother, Sarah Catherine Smith was born on 10 July 1867 in Pennsylvania and died on 27 March 1927 in Union, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. Hugh's parents were married in 1892 in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. Hugh was the youngest of three sons in the family. He attended Belleville High School and was a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry.
He married Theresa Evelyn Mayer (20 February 1901 to 23 March 1989) on 20 June 1931 in Manhattan, New York City, New York. At the time of his death, they had a seven year-old daughter, Gloria, born in 1934 in Quantico, Virginia. Hugh had been previously married on 18 December 1922 to Lerline E. Lowery in San Diego, California. They divorced on 15 May 1931 in Norfolk, Virginia. Theresa had been previously married on 19 March 1921 to Oscar E. Dannegger in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They divorced on 7 February 1930.
Military
Hugh Rossman Alexander enlisted in the United States Navy on 13 December 1917 at Baltimore, Maryland. From 5 June 1918 to 20 December 1918, he served as a Hospital Apprentice on a submarine, the USS Martha Washington. He was discharged on 29 September 1921 at Washington, DC. In 1934, he received a Veteran's Bonus of $70.00 from the State of Pennsylvania for his service in World War I. It appears that after his discharge, he completed Dental School and returned to the Navy as a Dental Corps Officer. On 5 August 1940, he was assigned as the Ship's Dental Officer aboard the Battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37) which was stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii when the Japanese attack occurred.
On the morning of 7 December 1941, a fleet of Japanese carriers launched an air strike against the U.S. Pacific Fleet at anchor in Pearl Harbor, on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The attack decimated the ships and personnel of the fleet and thrust the United States into World War II. At the onset of the 7 December 1941 attack, the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37), being moored at berth Fox 5 on "Battleship Row." Just before 8 am, the Oklahoma was among the first of the ships struck in the attack. A torpedo struck on her port side and she capsized quickly. After the Arizona, she was the largest loss of life, at 429 sailors and marines. The Oklahoma was salvaged in 1942, but it was determined she could not be repaired. In May of 1947, she was sold for scrap and while under tow to California, she sank in a storm. Her exact location remains unknown to this day.
Death and Burial
Hugh Rossman Alexander was Declared Dead while Missing in Action or Lost at Sea on 7 December 1941 aboard the USS Oklahoma during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal (in 2018), the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and the Purple Heart Medal. He is memorialized at the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, located inside Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is also memorialized at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, San Diego County, California, Section: P, Site: 2977-A.
Dec. 14, 2021
WASHINGTON—The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Lt. Cmdr. Hugh R. Alexander, 43, of Potters Mills, Pennsylvania, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 17, 2021.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Alexander was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Alexander. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in saving the lives of several fellow crew members.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu'uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Alexander.
Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS Oklahoma Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Alexander's remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Alexander's name is recorded on the American Battle Monuments Commission's Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Alexander will be buried in San Diego. The date has yet to be determined.
DPAA ID Announcement, Press Release | April 27, 2021, USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Alexander, H.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Lt. Cmdr. Hugh R. Alexander, 43, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 17, 2021.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Alexander was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Alexander. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in saving the lives of several fellow crew members.
His Silver Star Citation follows:
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander (DC) Hugh Rossman Alexander (NSN: 0-56955), United States Navy, for gallantry in action against the enemy Japanese forces on 7 December 1941, while attached to and serving on board the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA (BB-37). Lieutenant Commander Alexander was aboard the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA during the attack made by the Japanese against the United States Naval Forces at Pearl Harbor. As a result of damage by the enemy the OKLAHOMA capsized shortly after the attack was begun, entrapping Lieutenant Commander Alexander and others in a compartment where portholes provided the only possible means of escape. Despite his knowledge of the desperate situation in which he was placed and with complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Commander Alexander heroically went about the crowded compartment and deliberately selected the more slender of those entrapped whom he conducted to the portholes and aided them in making their escape through these narrow openings. Continuing his intrepid action until the end, Lieutenant Commander Alexander gallantly laid down his life in order that his shipmates might live. This action on his part rendered him individually conspicuous among his comrades and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
CENOTAPH, NO ASHES BURIED.
All Findagrave Memorial ID's: 29083971, 47088184, 56113904, 77246948
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Hugh R. Alexander, 43, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 17, 2021.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Alexander was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37), which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Alexander. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in saving the lives of several fellow crew members.
His name is permanently inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial: Find a Grave Memorial 56113904 and the USS Oklahoma Memorial: Find a Grave Memorial 77246948.
**In 2021 his remains were identified and in 2022 records resulted in him being posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal that he so richly deserved. He also received the Purple Heart** Thanks to Martin#50060690 for additional information∼Lieutenant Commander Hugh R. Alexander was Killed in Action on December 7, 1941, during the attack on Pear USS Oklahoma Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA Plot: Row 1.
Cmdr. Alexander enrolled in the USNRF at Baltimore, Maryland on 13 December 1917. He held a Certificate of Provisional Enrollment in Fifth Naval District as a Hospital Apprentice of First Class. (His father was a physician).
Called to active duty on 5 June 1918 and served until 20 December 1918. He received his commission on 29 June 1920 and served on active duty until his death.l Harbor. He was stationed aboard the USS Oklahoma BB-37.
Name of Award: Navy and Marine Corps Medal
Year Awarded: 1941
Details behind Award: Awarded for actions during the World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander (DC) Hugh Rossman Alexander (NSN: 0-56955), United States Navy, for heroism in operations against the enemy Japanese forces on 7 December 1941, while attached to and serving on board the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA (BB-37). Lieutenant Commander Alexander was aboard the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA during the attack made by the Japanese against the United States Naval Forces at Pearl Harbor. As a result of damage by the enemy the OKLAHOMA capsized shortly after the attack was begun, entrapping Lieutenant Commander Alexander and others in a compartment where portholes provided the only possible means of escape. Despite his knowledge of the desperate situation in which he was placed and with complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Commander Alexander heroically went about the crowded compartment and deliberately selected the more slender of those entrapped whom he conducted to the portholes and aided them in making their escape through these narrow openings. Continuing his intrepid action until the end, Lieutenant Commander Alexander gallantly laid down his life in order that his shipmates might live. This action on his part rendered him individually conspicuous among his comrades and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: December 7, 1941
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Ship: U.S.S. Oklahoma (BB-37)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hugh Rossman Alexander was born on 25 December 1896 in Potters Mills, Centre County, Pennsylvania. His nickname was "Al". His father, Dr. Samuel Hugh Alexander, born 10 September 1867 in Pennsylvania, died 21 June 1930 in Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, was a Physician. His mother, Sarah Catherine Smith was born on 10 July 1867 in Pennsylvania and died on 27 March 1927 in Union, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. Hugh's parents were married in 1892 in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. Hugh was the youngest of three sons in the family. He attended Belleville High School and was a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry.
He married Theresa Evelyn Mayer (20 February 1901 to 23 March 1989) on 20 June 1931 in Manhattan, New York City, New York. At the time of his death, they had a seven year-old daughter, Gloria, born in 1934 in Quantico, Virginia. Hugh had been previously married on 18 December 1922 to Lerline E. Lowery in San Diego, California. They divorced on 15 May 1931 in Norfolk, Virginia. Theresa had been previously married on 19 March 1921 to Oscar E. Dannegger in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They divorced on 7 February 1930.
Military
Hugh Rossman Alexander enlisted in the United States Navy on 13 December 1917 at Baltimore, Maryland. From 5 June 1918 to 20 December 1918, he served as a Hospital Apprentice on a submarine, the USS Martha Washington. He was discharged on 29 September 1921 at Washington, DC. In 1934, he received a Veteran's Bonus of $70.00 from the State of Pennsylvania for his service in World War I. It appears that after his discharge, he completed Dental School and returned to the Navy as a Dental Corps Officer. On 5 August 1940, he was assigned as the Ship's Dental Officer aboard the Battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37) which was stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii when the Japanese attack occurred.
On the morning of 7 December 1941, a fleet of Japanese carriers launched an air strike against the U.S. Pacific Fleet at anchor in Pearl Harbor, on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The attack decimated the ships and personnel of the fleet and thrust the United States into World War II. At the onset of the 7 December 1941 attack, the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37), being moored at berth Fox 5 on "Battleship Row." Just before 8 am, the Oklahoma was among the first of the ships struck in the attack. A torpedo struck on her port side and she capsized quickly. After the Arizona, she was the largest loss of life, at 429 sailors and marines. The Oklahoma was salvaged in 1942, but it was determined she could not be repaired. In May of 1947, she was sold for scrap and while under tow to California, she sank in a storm. Her exact location remains unknown to this day.
Death and Burial
Hugh Rossman Alexander was Declared Dead while Missing in Action or Lost at Sea on 7 December 1941 aboard the USS Oklahoma during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal (in 2018), the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and the Purple Heart Medal. He is memorialized at the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, located inside Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is also memorialized at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, San Diego County, California, Section: P, Site: 2977-A.
Dec. 14, 2021
WASHINGTON—The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Lt. Cmdr. Hugh R. Alexander, 43, of Potters Mills, Pennsylvania, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 17, 2021.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Alexander was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Alexander. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in saving the lives of several fellow crew members.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu'uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Alexander.
Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS Oklahoma Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Alexander's remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Alexander's name is recorded on the American Battle Monuments Commission's Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Alexander will be buried in San Diego. The date has yet to be determined.
DPAA ID Announcement, Press Release | April 27, 2021, USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Alexander, H.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Lt. Cmdr. Hugh R. Alexander, 43, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 17, 2021.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Alexander was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Alexander. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in saving the lives of several fellow crew members.
His Silver Star Citation follows:
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander (DC) Hugh Rossman Alexander (NSN: 0-56955), United States Navy, for gallantry in action against the enemy Japanese forces on 7 December 1941, while attached to and serving on board the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA (BB-37). Lieutenant Commander Alexander was aboard the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA during the attack made by the Japanese against the United States Naval Forces at Pearl Harbor. As a result of damage by the enemy the OKLAHOMA capsized shortly after the attack was begun, entrapping Lieutenant Commander Alexander and others in a compartment where portholes provided the only possible means of escape. Despite his knowledge of the desperate situation in which he was placed and with complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Commander Alexander heroically went about the crowded compartment and deliberately selected the more slender of those entrapped whom he conducted to the portholes and aided them in making their escape through these narrow openings. Continuing his intrepid action until the end, Lieutenant Commander Alexander gallantly laid down his life in order that his shipmates might live. This action on his part rendered him individually conspicuous among his comrades and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
All Findagrave Memorial ID's: 29083971, 47088184, 56113904, 77246948
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Hugh R. Alexander, 43, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 17, 2021.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Alexander was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37), which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Alexander. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in saving the lives of several fellow crew members.
His name is permanently inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial: Find a Grave Memorial 56113904 and the USS Oklahoma Memorial: Find a Grave Memorial 77246948.
**In 2021 his remains were identified and in 2022 records resulted in him being posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal that he so richly deserved. He also received the Purple Heart** Thanks to Martin#50060690 for additional information∼Lieutenant Commander Hugh R. Alexander was Killed in Action on December 7, 1941, during the attack on Pear USS Oklahoma Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA Plot: Row 1.
Cmdr. Alexander enrolled in the USNRF at Baltimore, Maryland on 13 December 1917. He held a Certificate of Provisional Enrollment in Fifth Naval District as a Hospital Apprentice of First Class. (His father was a physician).
Called to active duty on 5 June 1918 and served until 20 December 1918. He received his commission on 29 June 1920 and served on active duty until his death.l Harbor. He was stationed aboard the USS Oklahoma BB-37.
Name of Award: Navy and Marine Corps Medal
Year Awarded: 1941
Details behind Award: Awarded for actions during the World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander (DC) Hugh Rossman Alexander (NSN: 0-56955), United States Navy, for heroism in operations against the enemy Japanese forces on 7 December 1941, while attached to and serving on board the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA (BB-37). Lieutenant Commander Alexander was aboard the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA during the attack made by the Japanese against the United States Naval Forces at Pearl Harbor. As a result of damage by the enemy the OKLAHOMA capsized shortly after the attack was begun, entrapping Lieutenant Commander Alexander and others in a compartment where portholes provided the only possible means of escape. Despite his knowledge of the desperate situation in which he was placed and with complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Commander Alexander heroically went about the crowded compartment and deliberately selected the more slender of those entrapped whom he conducted to the portholes and aided them in making their escape through these narrow openings. Continuing his intrepid action until the end, Lieutenant Commander Alexander gallantly laid down his life in order that his shipmates might live. This action on his part rendered him individually conspicuous among his comrades and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: December 7, 1941
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Ship: U.S.S. Oklahoma (BB-37)
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Hugh Rossman Alexander was born on 25 December 1896 in Potters Mills, Centre County, Pennsylvania. His nickname was "Al". His father, Dr. Samuel Hugh Alexander, born 10 September 1867 in Pennsylvania, died 21 June 1930 in Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, was a Physician. His mother, Sarah Catherine Smith was born on 10 July 1867 in Pennsylvania and died on 27 March 1927 in Union, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. Hugh's parents were married in 1892 in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. Hugh was the youngest of three sons in the family. He attended Belleville High School and was a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry.
He married Theresa Evelyn Mayer (20 February 1901 to 23 March 1989) on 20 June 1931 in Manhattan, New York City, New York. At the time of his death, they had a seven year-old daughter, Gloria, born in 1934 in Quantico, Virginia. Hugh had been previously married on 18 December 1922 to Lerline E. Lowery in San Diego, California. They divorced on 15 May 1931 in Norfolk, Virginia. Theresa had been previously married on 19 March 1921 to Oscar E. Dannegger in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They divorced on 7 February 1930.
Military
Hugh Rossman Alexander enlisted in the United States Navy on 13 December 1917 at Baltimore, Maryland. From 5 June 1918 to 20 December 1918, he served as a Hospital Apprentice on a submarine, the USS Martha Washington. He was discharged on 29 September 1921 at Washington, DC. In 1934, he received a Veteran's Bonus of $70.00 from the State of Pennsylvania for his service in World War I. It appears that after his discharge, he completed Dental School and returned to the Navy as a Dental Corps Officer. On 5 August 1940, he was assigned as the Ship's Dental Officer aboard the Battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37) which was stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii when the Japanese attack occurred.
On the morning of 7 December 1941, a fleet of Japanese carriers launched an air strike against the U.S. Pacific Fleet at anchor in Pearl Harbor, on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The attack decimated the ships and personnel of the fleet and thrust the United States into World War II. At the onset of the 7 December 1941 attack, the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37), being moored at berth Fox 5 on "Battleship Row." Just before 8 am, the Oklahoma was among the first of the ships struck in the attack. A torpedo struck on her port side and she capsized quickly. After the Arizona, she was the largest loss of life, at 429 sailors and marines. The Oklahoma was salvaged in 1942, but it was determined she could not be repaired. In May of 1947, she was sold for scrap and while under tow to California, she sank in a storm. Her exact location remains unknown to this day.
Death and Burial
Hugh Rossman Alexander was Declared Dead while Missing in Action or Lost at Sea on 7 December 1941 aboard the USS Oklahoma during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal (in 2018), the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and the Purple Heart Medal. He is memorialized at the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, located inside Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is also memorialized at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, San Diego County, California, Section: P, Site: 2977-A.
Dec. 14, 2021
WASHINGTON—The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Lt. Cmdr. Hugh R. Alexander, 43, of Potters Mills, Pennsylvania, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 17, 2021.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Alexander was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Alexander. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in saving the lives of several fellow crew members.
From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu'uanu Cemeteries.
In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Alexander.
Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS Oklahoma Unknowns from the Punchbowl for analysis.
To identify Alexander's remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Alexander's name is recorded on the American Battle Monuments Commission's Courts of the Missing at the Punchbowl, along with the others who are missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
Alexander will be buried in San Diego. The date has yet to be determined.
DPAA ID Announcement, Press Release | April 27, 2021, USS Oklahoma Sailor Accounted For From World War II (Alexander, H.)
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Navy Lt. Cmdr. Hugh R. Alexander, 43, killed during World War II, was accounted for on Feb. 17, 2021.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Alexander was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Alexander. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions in saving the lives of several fellow crew members.
His Silver Star Citation follows:
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander (DC) Hugh Rossman Alexander (NSN: 0-56955), United States Navy, for gallantry in action against the enemy Japanese forces on 7 December 1941, while attached to and serving on board the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA (BB-37). Lieutenant Commander Alexander was aboard the U.S.S. OKLAHOMA during the attack made by the Japanese against the United States Naval Forces at Pearl Harbor. As a result of damage by the enemy the OKLAHOMA capsized shortly after the attack was begun, entrapping Lieutenant Commander Alexander and others in a compartment where portholes provided the only possible means of escape. Despite his knowledge of the desperate situation in which he was placed and with complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Commander Alexander heroically went about the crowded compartment and deliberately selected the more slender of those entrapped whom he conducted to the portholes and aided them in making their escape through these narrow openings. Continuing his intrepid action until the end, Lieutenant Commander Alexander gallantly laid down his life in order that his shipmates might live. This action on his part rendered him individually conspicuous among his comrades and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Inscription
LCDR U.S. Navy World War I & II
Gravesite Details
Interment - Friday, August 19 2022
Cenotaph - No ashes are interred.
