SODEN Military Notes
SODEN
Military Notes
|
AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION
|
William J. Soden, Jr.
|
Ship's Clerk, Second Class, U.S. Navy
03286178
United States Navy
|
Entered the Service from: Wisconsen
Died: December 15, 1945
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery
Manila, Philippines |
Awards: Purple Heart |
|
|
|
AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION
|
Billy Gene Soden
|
Ceres, California
Born January 6, 1929
|
Aviation Electronics Technician Second
Class, U.S. Navy
Non-hostile Death
Died August 6, 1952 in Korea |
Aviation Electronics Technician Soden was
assigned to Unit Able, VC-35 aboard the carrier
"USS BOXER." Having completed all missions as
radar-radio operator, he was awaiting orders to return
to the United States, when he was killed by a fire and
explosion aboard the carrier. |
|
|
|
|
AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION
|
Herbert N. Soden
|
Kings, New York
Born 1929
|
Private First Class, U.S. Army
Killed in Action
Died January 3, 1951 in Korea |
Private First Class Soden was a member of
the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He
was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South
Korea on January 3, 1951. |
|
|
The Vancouver Columbian, May 15, 1945
BLAST FATAL--
Killed in a ship explosion in the
Portland, Maine, harbor, was Edwin F. Mathys, chief MM. He had been in the navy
since enlisting in 1922, and was a member of the 65-man crew of which only 14
survived the blast.
(Edwin
F. Mathys, grandson of Thomas & Kate Soden. Records later show
he actually died April 23, 1945 when the boat was sunk "due to Captain's
error." He had been a submarine man his entire career when he had a
choice of being on this small boat or an aircraft carrier. PMB)
The Vancouver Columbian, May 8, 1945
FOUR MORE ON CASUALTY ROLL
The names of three more Clark
county men were contained in today's casualty list from the Office of War
Information and one casualty was reported by relatives. In the OWI release are
two wounded and one missing.
Edwin F. Mathys , Chief MM USN,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Mathys, 300 W. Forty-second street, was recently killed
when the ship on which he was stationed exploded in the Portland, Maine harbor,
it was announced by his relatives today.
Mathys enlisted in the navy in
1922, it was reported. News of the explosion declared that of the complement of
65 men, only 14 survivors were listed.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD, PORTLAND, MAINE,
Wednesday Morning, May 9, 1945
(This is the story about the sinking of the boat
on which Edwin Frederick Mathys was assigned when he died. He was the son of
Sarah Soden & Frederick Mathys and the grandson of Thomas and Kate Soden)
49 Lose Lives as Patrol Ship Sinks Off Coast
13 Survive Explosion on PE-56 April 23
CRAFT SPLIT BY BLAST; TWO BODIES FOUND;
NO REPORT YET BY NAVAL COURT
The Navy Department Tuesday
announced the sinking by explosion of an Eagle-type patrol vessel, three miles
off Cape Elizabeth, and said that 49 of the ship's crew of 62 either were known
dead or "missing in action."
Thirteen survivors, including one officer, were taken
from the icy water by Navy rescue ships and brought to the U.S. Naval Station,
Grand Trunk Pier.
Lt. James G. Early, USNR, of Aulander, NC, the ship's
commander, was listed as missing.
Officials said the sinking was the "worst"
naval disaster in New England waters since the start of the war.
The ship, the PE-56, attached to the Brunswick Naval
Air Station, "blew up" at 12:14 p.m., April 23, 1945, as the craft was
cruising in an inactive period south, southeast of Portland Light, the Navy
reported.
Bodies of only two of the 49 men listed as missing were
recovered. The Navy identified them as George William Neugen, machinist's mate,
1/c, USNR, of Summersfield, NC, and Paul Jaron Knapp, s 1.c, USNR, of Lake
Mahopac, NY. Names of the other 47 were not released, although the Navy said
nearest of kin have been notified.
No Maine Victims
None of the 13 survivors was a
Maine man, although some had taken up temporary homes here with their wives and
families. One of them, Lt. (jg) John P. Scagnelli, 25, is a former captain of
swimming at New York university and swam frequently and had competed in a meet
the past winter at the Portland Boys' Club.
Survivors said the 200-foot ship split in two and sank
within a few minutes of the terrific explosion.
Many of those listed as missing were trapped in below
deck compart-ments.
A Naval Court of Inquiry, headed by Capt. E. J.
Freeman, USNR, commanding officer of the Portland Naval Station, convened almost
immediately. The court has not yet reported its findings.
They held knowledge that the ship recently came from
repair docks after a "complete" 10-day overhauling.
Naval craft and naval planes, which scouted the
disaster area, failed to uncover a single additional body or any wreckage, other
than a few pieces of timber, empty oil barrels and general debris.
One life jacket was found later on the water but none
of the survivors reported having used one to keep afloat.
Navy officials said the water temperature at the time
of the accident was 42 degrees Fahrenheit. Normally it is recorded at 48
degrees.
Rescue Lasts 17 Minutes
Last of the 13 survivors was
picked up about 17 minutes after personnel aboard a nearby destroyer and
lightship had witnessed the explosion.
The Navy said a steady geyser of water poured high into
the air as the ship split amidships.
The suddenness of the explosion, quick sinking of the
ship and immediate rescue of survivors left few tales of heroism.
Survivors remained afloat by grasping floating timber,
empty oil barrels and other wreckage. Some of those who perished went to the
bottom when numbness, brought on by the cold water, forced them to relinquish
holds on floating objects, survivors related.
Only two of the 14 suffered injuries serious enough to
require hospital bed treatment. Others escaped with minor cuts and bruises. All
were given blood plasma and morphine injections for shock and exposure.
Listed as survivors:
-
Lt. (jg) John P.
Scagnelli, 25, USNR, of New York City.
-
John L. Breeze Jr., 22, machinist mate 2/c of
Concord, NH.
-
Oscar F. Davis, 23, machinist mate 3/c of Illno,
MO.
-
Lawrence L. Edwards, 20, gunners mate 3/c of
Greer, SC.
-
Cletus J. Frane, 31, machinist mate 3/c of
Convoy, OH.
-
Daniel E. Jaronik, 19, seaman 1/c of South Bend,
IN.
-
Edward G. Lockhart, 28, machinist mate 1/c of
Brooklyn, NY.
-
John E. Lutterell, 20, seaman 1/c of St. Louis,
MO.
-
Harold H. Petersen, 23, machinist mate 2/c of
Henrietta, NY.
-
William T. Thompson, 31, fireman 1/c of
Framingham, MA.
-
John A. Wisniewski, 35, radioman 3/c of Garfield
Heights, OH.
-
John A. Happoldt, 20, seaman 2/c of Morgantown,
NC.
-
Joseph C. Priestas, 23, watertender 3/c of
Latrobe, PA.
Breeze, Luttrell and Petersen maintained apartments in
Portland, ME, for their families.
Breeze lived at 70 Morning Street, Luttrell at 7 Richland Street, South Portland
and Petersen at 164 Danforth Street.
Sea Was Choppy
The Navy disclosed that the sea
was moderate, although choppy, and visibility was unlimited at the time of the
explosion.
Several crew members were not aboard ship when it
sailed from the Portland pier on the fatal Monday trip.
The 12 enlisted men, who survived the ordeal, were in
crew quarters, aft below the deck.
Lieutenant Scagnelli, only officer to survive, was in the forward section. He
said eight men, including five officers, were on deck before the explosion. All
were reported missing and are
presumed dead.
The survivors, interviewed at the Navy Dispensary here
less than 24 hours after the disaster, revealed varied accounts of the manner in
which each was able to free himself from below deck quarters.
Lieutenant Scagnelli, who suffered head and hand in
juries, said he was in his cabin just aft the wardroom when "a terrific
explosion knocked me out of bed and against a bulkhead."
"I was thrown just as if someone had picked me up
and tossed me," he recalled.
In a dazed condition, Lieutenant Scagnelli headed for a
passageway "filled with smoke, low pressure steam and debris."
His head swathed in bandages, Lieutenant Scagnelli
continued: "The ship had listed badly. I managed to reach the Chief Petty
Officer's office, where a ladder reached to the main
deck.
Didn't Have to Jump
"The magazine, I knew,
hadn't gone. From the main deck there were two exits. I got past a galley on the
starboard side and found myself in water up to my chest. I didn't have to jump
overboard," he related.
Once in the water the officer sighted Joseph Lydon, a
radioman 2/c from Philadelphia.
"His head was bleeding and I did not see another
person. I could see the ship had split in two and I was 50 yards away when the
aft section disappeared. The forward section settled and became upright,
perpendicular to the water. It then sank when its compartments filled.
"I told Lydon to follow me when I saw some
floating on a metal tank by Lydon went down. I reached the oil tank to find two
men on it, Luttrell and Breeze (both survivors).
We held on for four or five minutes before it sank and
then I grabbed onto some floating shores (timber) and soon a destroyer picked me
up."
Scagnelli said most of the men were on the port side at
the time of the explosion, although he was on the starboard side.
He estimated that no more than 40 seconds elapsed from
the time he was knocked from his bunk until he reached open water.
"When I was knocked out of bed, I saw no sign of
life and heard no one calling for help," he said.
He believed more than 20 men were trapped in the CPO
quarters, radio shack, wardroom, officers' stateroom and officers' galley.
Scagnelli, like other survivors, injected opinions as
to the cause of the blast.
Have Varied Opinions
Some survivors reported having
seen a submarine, others likened the blast to that of a depth charge and some
were in complete disagreement.
Scagnelli said that when he boarded the rescue
destroyer, he was told it had made contact with something and had dropped some
depth bombs.
The officer praised Petersen, who "gave up his
wooden shores to another man, who did not survive."
"Petersen picked up floating debris and swam it to
me and to others," Scagnelli related.
Edwards conceded to an interviewer that he had shouted
to others in the water that "there's a submarine or something like it over
there."
Davis was one who heard the comment and he added,
"I saw exhaust smoke coming from a sub."
Thompson was another who "saw smoke."
Luttrell, who had gone below from a watch, said when he
left the bridge, about five minutes before the blast, "We had no contact
with a sub-marine."
Doubts Torpedoing
Lockhart, confined to bed by
abdominal and hip injuries, injected himself into the discussion between
reporters, survivors and naval officers to say that "I have seen quite a
few ships hit by torpedoes, but wouldn't say this was one."
Lockhart, who had served four years in the
Mediterranean, said the explosion "was the direct opposite to a depth
charge."
"This was straight up in the air," he
recalled.
Priestas said the explosion, which knocked "my hat
off" seemed as if "a depth charge had dropped in real close or we had
struck a floating mine.'
The ship was sinking when Wisniewski came on topside,
he said. The radioman third-class said Edwards, Davis and Lockhart were
"just ahead of me as we hit the water."
Some of the men in the compartment failed to get out,
Wisniewski recalled.
Davis said the explosion blew a ladder from its hook in
the aft compartment near the escape hatch, which forced him to wade through
debris to find another exit.
"Breeze was just ahead of me and kept urging me to
stay calm," Davis said.
Both Davis and Edwards recalled that hurried attempts
to find life jackets failed. Davis said the water was too high for him to reach
one.
Edwards followed Lockhart into the water, after
climbing through an escape hatch to the topside.
"I grabbed onto a metal tank and held onto it
until rescued," he said.
Petersen, with a few minor scars on his face, said all
bunks in the aft compartment were overturned and "one of them hit me."
Blast Shook Ship
The explosion vibrated the entire
ship and to Petersen sounded like a depth charge, he said.
"It seemed like an explosion on the starboard side
and in `15 seconds I was on deck and water was up to my ankles," he added.
Once in the water, Petersen grabbed onto a piece of the
practice target with Davis and Nugent, a machinist listed as missing.
"Nugent's leg was broken and after a few minutes
he lost his grip and went down," Petersen said.
Thompson said the explosion knocked "me through a
hatch opening." He lost a shoe and sock before hitting the water."
Breeze recalled that he was on a metal tank with
Luttrell. "I saw something in front of the ship and thought it was the
bow," he said.
Jaronik summed up his experience in these words,
"It was a terrible concussion on the starboard side. Once in the water, I
grabbed part of the target buoy. I saw Breeze floating around and heard Luttrell
shout to him to head to an oil tank. Scagnelli came upon it (the tank) and the
three men floated around.
"I reached a tank on which Edwards, Gross, Goe and
Knapp (the last three listed as dead) were floating. I grabbed on. One by one
Goss, Goe and Knapp disappeared."
An empty wooden "coke" case was credited by
Frane as "saving my life." He said the ship already was listing when
he and Jaronik leaped over the side. "I was going under. The pressure of
the ship's suction was terrific. I was looking for some floating object when a
`coke' case hit me on the shoulder. I grabbed it and later grabbed a four by
four."
The ill-fated patrol vessel was one of the 60 PE ships
built at the Henry Ford River Rouge Plant in Detroit in 1917-18. It was listed
at 430 tons, 200 feet nine inches long, 25 feet nine inch beam and was rated at
18 knots. Her peacetime guns, the Navy said, consisted of two four-inch guns and
one three-inch anti-aircraft gun. Its peacetime complement included 63 enlisted
men and four officers.
NORMAN SODEN
1915-1999
COMPANY H, 20TH INF. 6TH DIV.
Norman Soden was
inducted into the Army on 7-3-1941 at Fort Crook, Nebraska. His military
occupation was Heavy Machine Gunner.
After induction, Norman arrived in Fort
Leonard Wood, Mo. in 1941. The 6th Division had maneuvers in Tennessee on
9-11-1942. Upon arriving back in Fort Leonard Wood, the 6th division were
reassigned to CP Young, California on 11-29-41 to participate in Desert Training
with Armored Corps until 2-22-1943. The 6th Division was prepared to fight
in the desert. Fighting broke out heavy in the jungles of the Philippines
and New Guinea. The military, after having the 6th division trained in
desert combat, decided they were needed in the jungle. The division was
sent to Hawaii on 7-29-1943. From Hawaii they were shipped out to New
Guinea.
The 6th division arrived at Milne Bay, New
Guinea on 1-31-1944. Initial elements arrived at Toem in the
Hollandia-Aitape area, followed by the 20th Infantry on 6-11-1944. On
6-20-1944 the 20th Infantry began its attack toward LONE TREE HILL from Tirfoam
River, but was slowed by heavy fire from a defile between it and Mt. Saskin, and
was unable to gain the crest until 6-22-1944, after which it was subjected to
fierce Japanese counter attacks. It was at this time Norman Soden was
wounded. Norman's unit was pinned down with heavy fire. Norman was hit in
the left elbow while reaching for a full machine belt of ammo. Norman's
left elbow was blown away.
Norman spent the next two years at
military hospitals and then received his discharge while at O'Reilly General
Hospital on 1-26-1946. When Norman was discharged he lost permanent use of his
left arm.
Norman's decorations and citations
include:
Combat Infantry Badge; Good Conduct Ribbon; Asiatic -
Pacific Ribbon with one bronze star; American Defense Ribbon;
American Theatre Ribbon; Victory Medal; and Purple Heart.
Norman was a member of American Legion,
Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled Veterans. (Written by
his son, Terry Soden)
New Jersey Civil War Participants
Surname |
Given |
MI |
Infantry |
Company |
Rank |
Occupation |
Date(s) |
Soden |
Charles |
|
29th |
E |
Corporal |
|
|
Soden |
Charles |
A |
14th |
H |
|
|
|
Soden |
Charles |
W |
30th |
F |
|
|
|
Soden |
Charles |
W |
38th |
B |
|
|
|
Soden |
Daniel |
|
1st |
F |
|
|
1861 |
Soden |
Daniel |
P |
14th |
D |
|
|
|
Soden |
Edward |
|
6th |
|
|
|
|
Soden |
Fermans |
|
28th |
A |
|
|
|
Soden |
Henry |
|
38th |
F |
|
|
|
Soden |
Isaac |
|
28th |
B |
|
Wagons |
|
Soden |
Jacob |
|
10th |
D |
|
|
|
Soden |
Jacob |
P |
38th |
A |
|
|
|
Soden |
James |
D |
1st |
F |
|
|
|
Soden |
James |
R |
29th |
E |
Sergeant |
|
|
Soden |
John |
|
7th |
G |
|
|
|
Soden |
Richard |
D |
33rd |
I |
|
|
|
Soden |
Robert |
S |
14th |
B |
|
|
|
Soden |
Samuel |
B |
30th |
G |
Corporal |
|
|
Soden |
William |
|
1st |
I |
Corporal |
|
1861 |
Soden |
William |
|
1st |
K |
Corporal |
|
1861 |
Soden |
William |
|
33rd |
F |
Corporal |
|
|
Soden |
William |
|
not |
assigned |
Corporal |
|
|
Special Schedules, Surviving Soldiers, Sailors, Marines,
and Widows
Name |
Rank |
Company |
Regiment |
Enlistment |
Discharge |
Length |
Widow/Notes |
John Soden |
Private |
Reg B |
NJ |
5 Oct 1863 |
14 Jul 1865 |
1/9/9 |
|
William Soden |
Private |
Co. I |
24 NJ |
24 Sep 1864 |
6 Jun 1865 |
|
Eliza @ 220 Southard St |
Charles Soden |
Corporal |
E |
29 NJ |
3 Sept 1862 |
30 Jun 1863 |
|
Jamesburg, NJ |
Richard D. Soden |
Private |
I |
33 NJ Inf |
5 Sep 1862 |
22 Jun 1863 |
2/9/17 |
Susan |
Surname |
Given Name |
Middle Initial |
Company |
Unit |
Rank - Induction |
Rank - Discharge |
MISC |
ROLL-BOX |
ROLL-EXCT |
SODON |
GEORGE |
|
3 REG'T (FRELINGHUYSEN'S) NEW JERSEY MILTIA. |
|
CORPORAL |
CORPORAL |
|
195 |
602 |
SODON |
JACOB |
|
20 REGIMENT (GRIDLEY'S), NEW YORK MIL. |
|
PRIVATE |
PRIVATE |
|
195 |
602 |
SODON |
JOHN |
|
12 AND 13 CONSOLIDATED REGIMENT, LOUISIANA MILITIA. |
|
PRIVATE |
PRIVATE |
|
195 |
602 |
SODON |
THOMAS |
|
CONSOLIDATED REGIMENT (SMITH'S), NEW YORK MILITIA. |
|
PRIVATE |
PRIVATE |
|
195 |
602 |
War with Great Britain 1812-1815, Captain Daniel D. Hendrickson's
company of Riflemen.
Third Regiment New Jersey Detailed Militia, Monmouth County:
George Soden, Corporal, Enrolled Sept. 16, 1814, for the war, Discharged
Dec. 9, 1814
Officers & Men of New Jersey in Wars, Part V, War with Great
Britain, Page 102
Pennsylvania Insurrection of 1794, Capt. Exekiel Price's Co of
Grenadiers - Third Regiment Infantry, Middlesex County.
# 46 Sodon, Jonathan, Private enrolled Sept. 12, 1794, for 3
months, discharged unk, absent without leave.
Page 41 & 42 of Officers & Men of New Jersey in Wars, Part
II, Pennsylvania Insurrection in 1794.
|
World War I Draft Registration
Last Name |
First Names |
Birth |
Ethnic GRP |
Birth Site or Other Info |
City/County |
State |
District |
Soden |
Charles Lincoln |
25 Nov 1878 |
W |
|
Brookings |
SD |
|
Soden |
Derik |
3 Dec 1888 |
B |
Fayette MS |
Sharkey |
MS |
|
Soden |
Edward Aloysius |
29 Jun 1886 |
W |
White Haven PA |
Jacksonville |
FL |
# 3 |
Soden |
Edward Joseph |
7 Dec 1887 |
W |
Bay St. Louis MS |
Jackson Co. |
MS |
|
Soden |
Elmer Roy |
20 May 1897 |
W |
Bushnell SD |
Brookings |
SD |
|
Soden |
Floyd Emery (Enery) |
28 Dec 1898 |
W |
|
Brookings |
SD |
|
Soden |
Frank |
31 Oct 1889 |
W |
Petersburg IN |
Leavenworth |
KS |
[Late |
Soden |
Jack Eldridge |
14 Nov 1880 |
W |
|
Meagher |
MT |
|
Soden |
Robert Elsworth |
14 Dec 1873 |
W |
|
Brookings |
SD |
|
Lawmen and Outlaws
Oklahoma and Indian Territory
and the State of Oklahoma
Updated: Thursday,
14-Sep-2000 13:03:54 PDT
SODEN |
W. F. |
Police Officer
Patrol Division in 1924 |
Tulsa, Tulsa Co. |
tpdp67 |
Sorry, I couldn't decide where to put this one!
Nebraska Civil War Veterans List
SNDX Name Location Record type Note
S350 Soden, J. H. ................. Wisner ........... 1893 Vet Census ....
New York
CIVIL WAR VETERANS, CUMING COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Prepared by Gerald E Sherard, Lakewood, Co
Soden, James H. b. 7NOV1837, NY. d. 16FEB1914, Wisner, bd. Wisner
Cem., Lot
5, Sec. 1.
Priv, Co B, 14 NY Heavy Artillery; Corp, Co. B, 14th NY Heavy Artillery.
4AUG1863 - 27AUG1865.
Gunshot wound to thigh.
DSF
|
MEMBERS OF THE BENTON COUNTY, IOWA VETERANS
ASSOCIATION, 1910
31ST ANNUAL REUNION AUG. 5 AND 6, 1909 BENTON CO. VETERANS ASSOCIATION
COMPANY E (SHELLSBURG, PALO AND ATKINS) Bigley, J.L., captain: Hatfield,
William, lieutenant Barton, O.B., orderly SHELLSBURG:
Soden, William R. Co. L 50th N.Y. Eng.
1880 REUNION OF BENTON COUNTY VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR Held at Vinton,
Iowa, September 14-15, 1880, NEW YORK VETERANS
Soden, C. E. Co. B 50th Engineers
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~nyontari/ONTVETS.HTM
Soden, Charles A.
|
50
|
NY Eng
|
|
|
Phelps
|
12 Aug 1861
|
|
|
Soden, Thomas
|
28
|
NY Inf
|
D
|
|
Manchester
|
22 May 1861
|
|
|
Soden, William
|
50
|
NY Eng
|
|
|
Phelps
|
Jan 1864
|
Cuming County Nebraska, WWI Draft Lists
1917 Listing
Blaine
Sode, Frank E.
Soden, William H.
|
|
|
Name: |
Frank Ormond Soden |
|
Country: |
Canada |
Rank: |
Captain |
Service: |
Royal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force |
Units: |
41, 60 |
Victories: |
27 |
Born: |
3 November 1895 |
Place
of Birth: |
Petitcodiac, New
Brunswick |
Died: |
12 February 1961 |
Place
of Death: |
London, England |
|
|
Distinguished
Flying Cross (DFC) |
|
"A bold and skilful officer who has
accounted for three enemy aeroplanes and two balloons during recent
operations." DFC citation, London Gazette, 8 February 1919 |
Enrollment of persons subject to Military Duty
Classes I & II, Yates Co., NY, Town of Milo
1 July 1863 |
Jabez S. |
Soden |
#288 |
Yates County Boys In Blue, Name Index S-T
Book: "Yates County Boys In Blue" 1861-1865 compiled by
Robert G. Graham, abt 1926 |
Jabez F. |
Soden |
#32 |