KIRK, ROBERT ALEXANDER, Chief Machinist's Mate (no. 3810067), USS Pillsbury, US Navy, Enl.: California, †01/03/1942
Parents, Obie Rush and Mary Elizabeth Kirk
Wife, Mrs. Beulah Agnes Johnson Kirk, Rt. 2, Box 532, San Diego, Calif. (m. 7 April 1937
Honolulu, Hawaii)
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Sinking of USS Pillsbury (DD-227)
While steaming through Badoeng Strait on the night of 19-20 February 1942, Pillsbury fired three torpedoes at a Japanese ship without result. A searchlight was trained on Pillsbury, and several shots were fired at her. She turned to starboard and make smoke to escape the light. The relatively small Allied forces at this time were forced to lightning strikes and rapid evasive retirement in the face of superior Japanese forces in the dim hope of disrupting the enemy advance.
At 0210 Pillsbury sighted a ship dead ahead and opened up with her main battery and .50 calibre guns. The amidships gun crew of the Japanese ship was put out of action by the first burst of the .50 calibre machine guns. The target ship then received a direct hit with a shell from either Pillsbury or from the destroyer in the opposite column. This caused the Japanese destroyer to swing to starboard. The spotter then observed three sure hits from Pillsbury: one on the bridge, one amidships and one on the fantail. As soon as the last shot hit, the Japanese ship erupted in flames, and her firing ceased.
At this time Pillsbury and Parrott (DD-218) were detached from the striking force and sent to Tjilatjap. After the action around Bali the ships had few torpedoes and were sadly in need of overhaul.
A few days later gallant Pillsbury met her end. There are no logs or battle reports giving the details of the action in which Pillsbury, Asheville (PG-21) and Edsall (DD-219) were sunk between the 1st and 4th of March 1942. A powerful force of Japanese ships was operating to the south of Java to prevent the escape of Allied ships from that area. The Japanese force consisted of four battleships, five cruisers, aircraft carrier Soryu and the destroyers of Destroyer Squadron 4.
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pillsbury-i.html
Parents, Obie Rush and Mary Elizabeth Kirk
Wife, Mrs. Beulah Agnes Johnson Kirk, Rt. 2, Box 532, San Diego, Calif. (m. 7 April 1937
Honolulu, Hawaii)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sinking of USS Pillsbury (DD-227)
While steaming through Badoeng Strait on the night of 19-20 February 1942, Pillsbury fired three torpedoes at a Japanese ship without result. A searchlight was trained on Pillsbury, and several shots were fired at her. She turned to starboard and make smoke to escape the light. The relatively small Allied forces at this time were forced to lightning strikes and rapid evasive retirement in the face of superior Japanese forces in the dim hope of disrupting the enemy advance.
At 0210 Pillsbury sighted a ship dead ahead and opened up with her main battery and .50 calibre guns. The amidships gun crew of the Japanese ship was put out of action by the first burst of the .50 calibre machine guns. The target ship then received a direct hit with a shell from either Pillsbury or from the destroyer in the opposite column. This caused the Japanese destroyer to swing to starboard. The spotter then observed three sure hits from Pillsbury: one on the bridge, one amidships and one on the fantail. As soon as the last shot hit, the Japanese ship erupted in flames, and her firing ceased.
At this time Pillsbury and Parrott (DD-218) were detached from the striking force and sent to Tjilatjap. After the action around Bali the ships had few torpedoes and were sadly in need of overhaul.
A few days later gallant Pillsbury met her end. There are no logs or battle reports giving the details of the action in which Pillsbury, Asheville (PG-21) and Edsall (DD-219) were sunk between the 1st and 4th of March 1942. A powerful force of Japanese ships was operating to the south of Java to prevent the escape of Allied ships from that area. The Japanese force consisted of four battleships, five cruisers, aircraft carrier Soryu and the destroyers of Destroyer Squadron 4.
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pillsbury-i.html
KIRK, ROBERT ALEXANDER, Chief Machinist's Mate (no. 3810067), USS Pillsbury, US Navy, Enl.: California, †01/03/1942
Parents, Obie Rush and Mary Elizabeth Kirk
Wife, Mrs. Beulah Agnes Johnson Kirk, Rt. 2, Box 532, San Diego, Calif. (m. 7 April 1937
Honolulu, Hawaii)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sinking of USS Pillsbury (DD-227)
While steaming through Badoeng Strait on the night of 19-20 February 1942, Pillsbury fired three torpedoes at a Japanese ship without result. A searchlight was trained on Pillsbury, and several shots were fired at her. She turned to starboard and make smoke to escape the light. The relatively small Allied forces at this time were forced to lightning strikes and rapid evasive retirement in the face of superior Japanese forces in the dim hope of disrupting the enemy advance.
At 0210 Pillsbury sighted a ship dead ahead and opened up with her main battery and .50 calibre guns. The amidships gun crew of the Japanese ship was put out of action by the first burst of the .50 calibre machine guns. The target ship then received a direct hit with a shell from either Pillsbury or from the destroyer in the opposite column. This caused the Japanese destroyer to swing to starboard. The spotter then observed three sure hits from Pillsbury: one on the bridge, one amidships and one on the fantail. As soon as the last shot hit, the Japanese ship erupted in flames, and her firing ceased.
At this time Pillsbury and Parrott (DD-218) were detached from the striking force and sent to Tjilatjap. After the action around Bali the ships had few torpedoes and were sadly in need of overhaul.
A few days later gallant Pillsbury met her end. There are no logs or battle reports giving the details of the action in which Pillsbury, Asheville (PG-21) and Edsall (DD-219) were sunk between the 1st and 4th of March 1942. A powerful force of Japanese ships was operating to the south of Java to prevent the escape of Allied ships from that area. The Japanese force consisted of four battleships, five cruisers, aircraft carrier Soryu and the destroyers of Destroyer Squadron 4.
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pillsbury-i.html
Parents, Obie Rush and Mary Elizabeth Kirk
Wife, Mrs. Beulah Agnes Johnson Kirk, Rt. 2, Box 532, San Diego, Calif. (m. 7 April 1937
Honolulu, Hawaii)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sinking of USS Pillsbury (DD-227)
While steaming through Badoeng Strait on the night of 19-20 February 1942, Pillsbury fired three torpedoes at a Japanese ship without result. A searchlight was trained on Pillsbury, and several shots were fired at her. She turned to starboard and make smoke to escape the light. The relatively small Allied forces at this time were forced to lightning strikes and rapid evasive retirement in the face of superior Japanese forces in the dim hope of disrupting the enemy advance.
At 0210 Pillsbury sighted a ship dead ahead and opened up with her main battery and .50 calibre guns. The amidships gun crew of the Japanese ship was put out of action by the first burst of the .50 calibre machine guns. The target ship then received a direct hit with a shell from either Pillsbury or from the destroyer in the opposite column. This caused the Japanese destroyer to swing to starboard. The spotter then observed three sure hits from Pillsbury: one on the bridge, one amidships and one on the fantail. As soon as the last shot hit, the Japanese ship erupted in flames, and her firing ceased.
At this time Pillsbury and Parrott (DD-218) were detached from the striking force and sent to Tjilatjap. After the action around Bali the ships had few torpedoes and were sadly in need of overhaul.
A few days later gallant Pillsbury met her end. There are no logs or battle reports giving the details of the action in which Pillsbury, Asheville (PG-21) and Edsall (DD-219) were sunk between the 1st and 4th of March 1942. A powerful force of Japanese ships was operating to the south of Java to prevent the escape of Allied ships from that area. The Japanese force consisted of four battleships, five cruisers, aircraft carrier Soryu and the destroyers of Destroyer Squadron 4.
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/pillsbury-i.html
Inscription
KIRK ROBERT A - CHIEF MACHINIST'S MATE - USN - CALIFORNIA
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