Sturlyn C. "Mick" King, born Sept. 6, 1911, Austin, AR, and enlisted
in the USN Sept.3, 1930. After boot camp in Hampton Rhodes, VA, he
served in China for three years in the USS Bulmer and later on the USS
Peary. He was an accomplished athlete, holding the title of
lightweight Asiatic Wrestling Champion while on tour in China. After
several other ships, he was assigned to the USS West Virginia on Sept.
6, 1941. On Dec. 7, 1941, the West Virginia was bombed and he was one of a
handful of men that survived (they were on duty in the engine room). He
has no recollection of how he got to the hospital and it was several
weeks later before his family knew he was alive and safe. After leaving the hospital, he taught Diesel School at Hampton Rhodes
and served on several other ships in the Pacific. After retiring in
1950, he was called up to teach Diesel School at Camp Elliot in San
Diego during the Korean War. He ended his working career in Civil
Service for another 18 years. He and wife Freda celebrated 62 years of marriage this year. They have
three chilren, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Reprinted with permission from Turner Publishing
Sturlyn C. King passed away on March 15, 1998. |