CM3 Arthur Armstrong, born 8 Feb 1916, was the son of Jacob Van Buren Armstrong and Mary (Williams) Armstrong of Rutledge, Crenshaw County, Alabama. Rutledge is in south central Alabama 49 miles due south of Montgomery.

In the 1920 census 4 year-old Arthur is living with his parents and siblings Coy 7, and Verdun 1, on a farm in rural Rutledge, Crenshaw County, Alabama.

In the 1930 census 14 year-old Arthur is living with his parents and siblings Coy 17, and Verdun 11, in Rutledge. His father is a carpenter for a home builder.

Arthur married Gladys Durden on 16 Mar 1940 in Crenshaw County, Alabama.

In the 1940 census Arthur and Gladys are living in the household of Gladys’ widowed mother Nena Durden with Gladys’ sisters Pearl 24, Margaret 20, and her brother Charles 15. Arthur is a carpenter for a homebuilder.

Arthur’s father died 16 Nov 1941.

As of 30 Jul 1943 Arthur was a Carpenter’s Mate 3rd Class aboard the USS John Penn (APA-23). The USS Penn was a 475’ 9,360 ton attack transport.

On 13 Aug 1943 John Penn had just fininshed unloading a cargo of 155 mm artillery shells in the Lunga Point Anchorage off Lunga Point on Guadalcanal. At 9:20 pm she came under attack from Japanese type 97 Kate torpedo planes that attacked from several directions. Three minutes later the transport took one of the planes under fire, causing it to burst into flames and crash into her main mast. About hat same instant, an aerial torpedo hit from another Kate near the number 5 cargo hold, causing a secondary explosion. Although vigorus efforts were made to save her, John Penn went down stern first at 9:50 pm.

I did not find CM3 Armstrong on another naval roster after the 30 Jul USS John Penn. He should have been on another roster both 30 Aug and 30 Sep. CM3 Armstrong died at Vella Lavella on 4 Oct 1943 in the New Georgia Group of the western Solomon Islands. The actual naval battle at Vella Lavella was on the night of 6 Oct 1943 two days after CM3 Armstrong died but there had been fighting there since 15 Aug. CM3 Armstrong must have transferred to another ship after the sinking of the USS John Penn and was killed at Vella Lavella 4 Oct 1943. Being a Seabee (CB - Construction Battalion) he could have been ashore on Vella Lavella doing construction there.

Photo courtesy of American Battle Monuments Commission
Manila American Cemetery
McKinley Road, Fort Bonifacio | Taguig City, Philippines 1634