My earliest memories of my great uncle J.C. Scott were at the Standard Service Station and Bait Shop that he and my grandfather M.I. Scott owned in downtown Macon, Ms.
My grandfather would take us fishing many, many times, and the trip always started with Celia and I loading up on Tom’s snacks and bait at the Service Station.
J.C. was in his 50s at that time and lived to age 85. He died in 1995.
Lisa McNeece
As far as we knew he always worked at the service station. Although in the home that he and his wife Margaret lived on Jefferson St. in Macon, there were some exotic dishes and other items that I knew he brought back from the war, but that was the extent of what I knew about that until now.
J.C. was called to active duty in 1942 at the age of 32. His first stop was Quansett Point, R.I. for boot training. His final destination was the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.
After the assault on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Americans became more aware of their vulnerability. They feared Japan would strike American soil again, and with their close proximity to Japan, the Aleutian Islands seemed especially prone to an attack.
In January, J.C. arrived at Port Huenn, CA, leaving there in February 1943 for Seattle. He left Seattle aboard the U.S.S. Wharton headed to Dutch Harbor where they lived in a tent city before boarding the U.S.S. Chaemont arriving at the Great Sitkin Island in April.
My mother Jo Ann Denley and her Uncle J.C. Scott in 1944
No doubt, the young man who was born in Louisville, MS and later moved to Macon had not seen country like this. It was mountainous with active volcanoes and J.C., a chief petty officer in the 52nd Seabees, took a lot of photos of the terrain and his surroundings. He also kept meticulous notes.
Some of his earlier photos were ones he made of the shore line of Sand Bay in showing small docks the Seabees built for the Navy.
In 1944, he left Great Sitkin Island and arrived at Adak, Alaska. He also had a 30 day leave during this time and came home to Macon for 31 days.
One of the most fascinating notes in J.C.’s belongings was one to his fiance Margaret.
“When I abbreviate Miss. that means I have moved.”
“When dollars are in numbers– miles used. Meaning dollars, will write out.”
He used towns around Macon to let her know which way he was traveling.
“Brooksville, north; Aliceville, east; Shuqualak, south; and Louisville, west.”
And finally “When leaving for home, will leave ‘Miss’ from your name.”
That October, J.C. was back out west. They boarded the Danish Ship Day Star (which the 52nd Seabees named Starving Star) sailing for Pearl Harbor. Due to the fog, the ship rammed a mine sweeper trying to get out of harbor. The ship went back to the dock for a day of repairs.
They arrived at Pearl Harbor in late October. Many photos during this time were of the Seabees building box cars. They also went through an intense jungle training before sailing for Guam.
Before they left, there are photos of J.C. and some of his crew walking the streets of Honolulu, at a luau where they enjoyed a roasted pig and a photo on the beach after dinner.
In April 1945, the 52nd boarded the USS Brooking for Guam. There were many photos of the men on the ship including chow time and a church service. They arrived at Guam in May.
They built a camp there, roads and a chapel. From here at 42 years old J.C. was finally on his way home. He came in to Pearl Harbor on the USS Portland in September.
Also included in J.C.’s collection was a copy of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin from April 1945 of Roosevelt’s death at Warm Springs.
J.C.’s Seabees uniforms– the white linen pants and white linen blazer and also the more traditional blazer have been stored in a box at my mother’s house along with his photo album/scrapbook.
This week, they are being shipped to the World War II Museum in New Orleans. And we are so pleased about that. That’s where they belong.
You may email Lisa at lisamcneece@gmail.com and follow her on twitter @lisamcneece