World War II Remembered

Bernard Thomas Hughes

Branch of Service: U.S. Navy Band
Hometown: Athens, Pa.
Honored By: Frances B. Reeser

U.S. Navy Band

Bernard Hughes

Trumpet Player - Killed at Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941

Bernard Thomas Hughes was born and raised in Athens, Pa. He graduated from Athens High School in 1940. That summer he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he played in the Navy Band as a Trumpeter.

All capital ships had bands, and at 0800 every morning they would play the National Anthem. This is what Bernard Hughes was preparing to do when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. At 0700 everything changed, forever, and all 21 of the USS Arizona's band members were lost at, or on their way to, their battle stations below decks.

USS Arizona Band Members
USS Arizona Band

Bandmaster: Fredrick W. Kinney, MUS1c

Frank Norman Floege "Flat-Foot Floogie"
Oran Merrill Brabbzson "Buttercup"
Ernest Hubert Whitson, Jr. "Ernie"
Wayne Lynn Bandy "Buck"
Neal Jason Radford "Brick"
Jack Leo Scruggs "Scrooge"
Curtis Junior Haas "Curt"
Gerald Clinton Cox "Jerry"
Charles William White "Whitey"
Emmett Isaac Lynch "Rusty"
William Starks Morehouse "Killer"
Clyde Richard Williams "Oklmugee"
Ralph Warren Burdette "Chowhound"
Robert Kar Shaw "Peepee"
Bernard Thomas Hughes "Bee"
William Moore McCary "Swede"
Wendell Ray Hurley "Lady-Killer"
James Harvey Sanderson "Sandy"
Alexander Joseph Nadel "Alexander The Swooze"

 

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