John Henry Grissom, 93, of Bedford, passed away Thursday, October 31, 2019 at Garden Villa. Born November 26, 1925 on the Stapleton Farm in Martin County, Indiana, he was the son of Evertt 1885-1973 and Mae (King) Grissom 1886-1977. He married Elinor (Merritt) Grissom on August 17, 1946. He attended Trinity Springs High School and was a member of First Christian Church of Bedford, Indiana. John retired from General Motors as a welder and was a WWII Veteran of the United States Navy. Surviving are his wife, Elinor of 73 years; two sons, Tim (Robin) Grissom of Bedford, Scott Grissom of Bloomington; two grandchildren, Hannah (Caleb) Keith of Carmel, Caleb (Alyssia) Grissom of Portland, Oregon; one great-granddaughter, Olive Keith; as well as many nieces and nephews..
John was preceded in death by all seven of his siblings: Thelma Mefford 1906-1991; Elmer Paul 1908-1984, Leland 1909-1961, William 1911-1947, Harold 1914-1996, Ruth 1917-2008, and Jesse Elbert 1922-1949.
Funeral services Monday, November 4, 2019 at the Ferguson-Lee Chapel of Thorne-George Family Funeral Homes with Rev. Bob Dailey and Rev. Leila Dailey officiating. Burial in Clark Cemetery.
John served in the Navy during World War II. On June 4, 1944, John was on the aircraft carrier that captured German prisoners and their submarine. The Navy classified the capture as top secret and prevented its discovery by the Germans. The U505 submarine was the first man of war captured on the high seas since the 1800s. The U505 is in the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois. Story by John in his own words: "June 4, 1944 - I was on routine duty. General quarters sounded. That means you're in a battle zone. I took off running and went to my battle station. I had to report to Central and say "Battle-Station #5, Manned and Ready."
I could hear planes that we had sent up. There was a cat walk outside my battle station so I stepped out on that to see what was going on. About one quarter mile away I saw the planes making dives toward the water. I saw a bow of a submarine come out of the water. I could see the German sailors going overboard because the sub had taken hits underwater from depth charges.
Our skipper had put out the word while we were on the cruise that if we could capture a sub and the crew abandoned it, we would go on board the sub. The Germans had opened up a sea valve to sink the sub. The first boarding party shut off the valve. The water was pumped out.
The aircraft carrier I was on hooked onto the sub to tow it back to Bermuda. The carrier wasn't able to tow it and they had a sea-going tube tow it back to Bermuda.
We took the Germans as prisoners of war. The captain of the submarine had shrapnel in both his legs. That sub had been out for 80 some days and they were headed back to their port. All the Germans had grown beards.
Our captain, Captain, Gallery, sent word down to have the sub captain cleaned up. The sub captain was in isolation. I was told to shave him. I lathered him up and began to shave him with a straight razor.
The sub captain seemed depressed. He was concerned about execution in Germany.
The sub captain, who was the only one of his crew that could speak English, told us he was from Hamburg, Germany. He had a wife and two children.
I gave the sub captain a good shave except on the right side. I accidentally knicked his nose with the razor and I apologized for that.
The sub commander didn't believe that we'd captured the sub but was forced to do so when Captain Gallery had pictures brought from the submarine.
Captain Gallery said this is a military secret because we did not want Germany to know we had captured their submarine.
The skirmish with the submarine didn't scare me because it happened so fast. It was said the sub had failed to hit our carrier with a torpedo they fired. The submarine was the first man of war captured on the high seas since 1812 or 1815. The name of the sub was U505. It is the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois."
Information taken off the internet:
German submarine U-505, From Wikipedia, Career (Nazi Germany), Name: U-505, Captured: Captured on 4 June 1944 by US Navy ships in the south Atlantic.[2]. Status: Preserved as a museum ship[2]. General
U-505 is a German Type IXC U-boat built for service in the Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was captured on 4 June 1944 by United States Navy Task Group 22.3 (TG 22.3).
All but one of U-505's crew were rescued by the Navy task group. The submarine was towed to Bermuda in secret, her crew was interned at a US prisoner of war camp where they were denied access to International Red Cross visits. The Navy classified the capture as top secret and prevented its discovery by the Germans.
In 1954, U-505 was donated to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois and is now a museum ship. She is one of six U-boats that were captured by Allied forces during World War II, and one of four German World War II U-boats that survive as museum ships. She is the only Type IXC still in existence.
John was preceded in death by all seven of his siblings: Thelma Mefford 1906-1991; Elmer Paul 1908-1984, Leland 1909-1961, William 1911-1947, Harold 1914-1996, Ruth 1917-2008, and Jesse Elbert 1922-1949.
Funeral services Monday, November 4, 2019 at the Ferguson-Lee Chapel of Thorne-George Family Funeral Homes with Rev. Bob Dailey and Rev. Leila Dailey officiating. Burial in Clark Cemetery.
John served in the Navy during World War II. On June 4, 1944, John was on the aircraft carrier that captured German prisoners and their submarine. The Navy classified the capture as top secret and prevented its discovery by the Germans. The U505 submarine was the first man of war captured on the high seas since the 1800s. The U505 is in the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois. Story by John in his own words: "June 4, 1944 - I was on routine duty. General quarters sounded. That means you're in a battle zone. I took off running and went to my battle station. I had to report to Central and say "Battle-Station #5, Manned and Ready."
I could hear planes that we had sent up. There was a cat walk outside my battle station so I stepped out on that to see what was going on. About one quarter mile away I saw the planes making dives toward the water. I saw a bow of a submarine come out of the water. I could see the German sailors going overboard because the sub had taken hits underwater from depth charges.
Our skipper had put out the word while we were on the cruise that if we could capture a sub and the crew abandoned it, we would go on board the sub. The Germans had opened up a sea valve to sink the sub. The first boarding party shut off the valve. The water was pumped out.
The aircraft carrier I was on hooked onto the sub to tow it back to Bermuda. The carrier wasn't able to tow it and they had a sea-going tube tow it back to Bermuda.
We took the Germans as prisoners of war. The captain of the submarine had shrapnel in both his legs. That sub had been out for 80 some days and they were headed back to their port. All the Germans had grown beards.
Our captain, Captain, Gallery, sent word down to have the sub captain cleaned up. The sub captain was in isolation. I was told to shave him. I lathered him up and began to shave him with a straight razor.
The sub captain seemed depressed. He was concerned about execution in Germany.
The sub captain, who was the only one of his crew that could speak English, told us he was from Hamburg, Germany. He had a wife and two children.
I gave the sub captain a good shave except on the right side. I accidentally knicked his nose with the razor and I apologized for that.
The sub commander didn't believe that we'd captured the sub but was forced to do so when Captain Gallery had pictures brought from the submarine.
Captain Gallery said this is a military secret because we did not want Germany to know we had captured their submarine.
The skirmish with the submarine didn't scare me because it happened so fast. It was said the sub had failed to hit our carrier with a torpedo they fired. The submarine was the first man of war captured on the high seas since 1812 or 1815. The name of the sub was U505. It is the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois."
Information taken off the internet:
German submarine U-505, From Wikipedia, Career (Nazi Germany), Name: U-505, Captured: Captured on 4 June 1944 by US Navy ships in the south Atlantic.[2]. Status: Preserved as a museum ship[2]. General
U-505 is a German Type IXC U-boat built for service in the Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was captured on 4 June 1944 by United States Navy Task Group 22.3 (TG 22.3).
All but one of U-505's crew were rescued by the Navy task group. The submarine was towed to Bermuda in secret, her crew was interned at a US prisoner of war camp where they were denied access to International Red Cross visits. The Navy classified the capture as top secret and prevented its discovery by the Germans.
In 1954, U-505 was donated to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois and is now a museum ship. She is one of six U-boats that were captured by Allied forces during World War II, and one of four German World War II U-boats that survive as museum ships. She is the only Type IXC still in existence.
John Henry Grissom, 93, of Bedford, passed away Thursday, October 31, 2019 at Garden Villa. Born November 26, 1925 on the Stapleton Farm in Martin County, Indiana, he was the son of Evertt 1885-1973 and Mae (King) Grissom 1886-1977. He married Elinor (Merritt) Grissom on August 17, 1946. He attended Trinity Springs High School and was a member of First Christian Church of Bedford, Indiana. John retired from General Motors as a welder and was a WWII Veteran of the United States Navy. Surviving are his wife, Elinor of 73 years; two sons, Tim (Robin) Grissom of Bedford, Scott Grissom of Bloomington; two grandchildren, Hannah (Caleb) Keith of Carmel, Caleb (Alyssia) Grissom of Portland, Oregon; one great-granddaughter, Olive Keith; as well as many nieces and nephews..
John was preceded in death by all seven of his siblings: Thelma Mefford 1906-1991; Elmer Paul 1908-1984, Leland 1909-1961, William 1911-1947, Harold 1914-1996, Ruth 1917-2008, and Jesse Elbert 1922-1949.
Funeral services Monday, November 4, 2019 at the Ferguson-Lee Chapel of Thorne-George Family Funeral Homes with Rev. Bob Dailey and Rev. Leila Dailey officiating. Burial in Clark Cemetery.
John served in the Navy during World War II. On June 4, 1944, John was on the aircraft carrier that captured German prisoners and their submarine. The Navy classified the capture as top secret and prevented its discovery by the Germans. The U505 submarine was the first man of war captured on the high seas since the 1800s. The U505 is in the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois. Story by John in his own words: "June 4, 1944 - I was on routine duty. General quarters sounded. That means you're in a battle zone. I took off running and went to my battle station. I had to report to Central and say "Battle-Station #5, Manned and Ready."
I could hear planes that we had sent up. There was a cat walk outside my battle station so I stepped out on that to see what was going on. About one quarter mile away I saw the planes making dives toward the water. I saw a bow of a submarine come out of the water. I could see the German sailors going overboard because the sub had taken hits underwater from depth charges.
Our skipper had put out the word while we were on the cruise that if we could capture a sub and the crew abandoned it, we would go on board the sub. The Germans had opened up a sea valve to sink the sub. The first boarding party shut off the valve. The water was pumped out.
The aircraft carrier I was on hooked onto the sub to tow it back to Bermuda. The carrier wasn't able to tow it and they had a sea-going tube tow it back to Bermuda.
We took the Germans as prisoners of war. The captain of the submarine had shrapnel in both his legs. That sub had been out for 80 some days and they were headed back to their port. All the Germans had grown beards.
Our captain, Captain, Gallery, sent word down to have the sub captain cleaned up. The sub captain was in isolation. I was told to shave him. I lathered him up and began to shave him with a straight razor.
The sub captain seemed depressed. He was concerned about execution in Germany.
The sub captain, who was the only one of his crew that could speak English, told us he was from Hamburg, Germany. He had a wife and two children.
I gave the sub captain a good shave except on the right side. I accidentally knicked his nose with the razor and I apologized for that.
The sub commander didn't believe that we'd captured the sub but was forced to do so when Captain Gallery had pictures brought from the submarine.
Captain Gallery said this is a military secret because we did not want Germany to know we had captured their submarine.
The skirmish with the submarine didn't scare me because it happened so fast. It was said the sub had failed to hit our carrier with a torpedo they fired. The submarine was the first man of war captured on the high seas since 1812 or 1815. The name of the sub was U505. It is the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois."
Information taken off the internet:
German submarine U-505, From Wikipedia, Career (Nazi Germany), Name: U-505, Captured: Captured on 4 June 1944 by US Navy ships in the south Atlantic.[2]. Status: Preserved as a museum ship[2]. General
U-505 is a German Type IXC U-boat built for service in the Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was captured on 4 June 1944 by United States Navy Task Group 22.3 (TG 22.3).
All but one of U-505's crew were rescued by the Navy task group. The submarine was towed to Bermuda in secret, her crew was interned at a US prisoner of war camp where they were denied access to International Red Cross visits. The Navy classified the capture as top secret and prevented its discovery by the Germans.
In 1954, U-505 was donated to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois and is now a museum ship. She is one of six U-boats that were captured by Allied forces during World War II, and one of four German World War II U-boats that survive as museum ships. She is the only Type IXC still in existence.
John was preceded in death by all seven of his siblings: Thelma Mefford 1906-1991; Elmer Paul 1908-1984, Leland 1909-1961, William 1911-1947, Harold 1914-1996, Ruth 1917-2008, and Jesse Elbert 1922-1949.
Funeral services Monday, November 4, 2019 at the Ferguson-Lee Chapel of Thorne-George Family Funeral Homes with Rev. Bob Dailey and Rev. Leila Dailey officiating. Burial in Clark Cemetery.
John served in the Navy during World War II. On June 4, 1944, John was on the aircraft carrier that captured German prisoners and their submarine. The Navy classified the capture as top secret and prevented its discovery by the Germans. The U505 submarine was the first man of war captured on the high seas since the 1800s. The U505 is in the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois. Story by John in his own words: "June 4, 1944 - I was on routine duty. General quarters sounded. That means you're in a battle zone. I took off running and went to my battle station. I had to report to Central and say "Battle-Station #5, Manned and Ready."
I could hear planes that we had sent up. There was a cat walk outside my battle station so I stepped out on that to see what was going on. About one quarter mile away I saw the planes making dives toward the water. I saw a bow of a submarine come out of the water. I could see the German sailors going overboard because the sub had taken hits underwater from depth charges.
Our skipper had put out the word while we were on the cruise that if we could capture a sub and the crew abandoned it, we would go on board the sub. The Germans had opened up a sea valve to sink the sub. The first boarding party shut off the valve. The water was pumped out.
The aircraft carrier I was on hooked onto the sub to tow it back to Bermuda. The carrier wasn't able to tow it and they had a sea-going tube tow it back to Bermuda.
We took the Germans as prisoners of war. The captain of the submarine had shrapnel in both his legs. That sub had been out for 80 some days and they were headed back to their port. All the Germans had grown beards.
Our captain, Captain, Gallery, sent word down to have the sub captain cleaned up. The sub captain was in isolation. I was told to shave him. I lathered him up and began to shave him with a straight razor.
The sub captain seemed depressed. He was concerned about execution in Germany.
The sub captain, who was the only one of his crew that could speak English, told us he was from Hamburg, Germany. He had a wife and two children.
I gave the sub captain a good shave except on the right side. I accidentally knicked his nose with the razor and I apologized for that.
The sub commander didn't believe that we'd captured the sub but was forced to do so when Captain Gallery had pictures brought from the submarine.
Captain Gallery said this is a military secret because we did not want Germany to know we had captured their submarine.
The skirmish with the submarine didn't scare me because it happened so fast. It was said the sub had failed to hit our carrier with a torpedo they fired. The submarine was the first man of war captured on the high seas since 1812 or 1815. The name of the sub was U505. It is the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois."
Information taken off the internet:
German submarine U-505, From Wikipedia, Career (Nazi Germany), Name: U-505, Captured: Captured on 4 June 1944 by US Navy ships in the south Atlantic.[2]. Status: Preserved as a museum ship[2]. General
U-505 is a German Type IXC U-boat built for service in the Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was captured on 4 June 1944 by United States Navy Task Group 22.3 (TG 22.3).
All but one of U-505's crew were rescued by the Navy task group. The submarine was towed to Bermuda in secret, her crew was interned at a US prisoner of war camp where they were denied access to International Red Cross visits. The Navy classified the capture as top secret and prevented its discovery by the Germans.
In 1954, U-505 was donated to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois and is now a museum ship. She is one of six U-boats that were captured by Allied forces during World War II, and one of four German World War II U-boats that survive as museum ships. She is the only Type IXC still in existence.
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