Jul-28-2018                   
             Husband: Robert Boyd Pernell    
         Census name: Boyd Pernell 
                Born: Mar-23-1922          in Smithton (now Smithburg), Doddridge Co, WV  1,2 (see note 1)
                Died: Nov-  -1966           3
             Resided:                      in Grand Rapids, Kent Co, MI  4,5
              Census: 1930, 1940           in West Union District, Doddridge Co, WV  
          Occupation: 1954                 millwright at Fisher Body  5
          Occupation: 1951                 pressman at Fisher Body  5
            Military: (enlisted 1941/42)   PhM, US Navy, WW II, USS Leedstown (AP-73)  6,7 (see note 2)
              Father: Nathan Goff Pernell   (1888 - 1971) 
              Mother: Grace Edna Sims   (1886 - 1956) 
                Wife: Emilie L. ___     
                Born: Jan-15-1918           8
                Died: Nov- 1-1973          in East Grand Rapids, Kent Co, MI  9,8
             Resided:                      in Grand Rapids, Kent Co, MI  9,5
          Occupation: 1954                 accountant at Michigan National Bank  5
          Occupation: 1951                 clerk at Michigan National Bank  5
              Father:
              Mother:

Sources:
(1) West Virginia Births Index, 1853-1969 [database on-line], Ancestry.com. 
(2) 1930 Census, Doddridge County, WV (West Union District). 
(3) Social Security Death Index. 
(4) Social Security Death Index, Social Security card issued in West Virginia before 1951. 
(5) City Directory. 
(6) U.S. World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 [database on-line], Ancestry.com and National Archives. 
(7) West Union Herald, 2/1/1945. 
(8) Social Security Death Index, Social Security card issued in Michigan before 1951. 
(9) Michigan Deaths and Burials Index, 1867-1995 [database on-line], Ancestry.com. 

Event Notes
Note (1) Birth date given in SSDI as Mar 23 1920, but birth record shows it as Mar 23
1922.  He was age 8 in the 1930 Census and 18 in the 1940 Census.
Note (2) Served aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Leedstown (AP-73), the
destroyer USS Laffey (DD-724) (known as "the ship that would not die" and now a
museum ship in South Carolina), the PCE-900, and the attack cargo ship USS Virgo
(AKA-20).

From a news article in the West Union Herald of February 1, 1945:
"Robert B. Pernell, Pharmacist Mate 1/c, has been in the Navy three years. 
Fourteen months of this time was spent in European waters.  He was a member of
the crew of the ship Leedstown, bound for the United States, after unloading
troops in North Africa, and which was attacked and sunk by the enemy on Nov. 8,
1942.  He and other members of the crew were picked up by airplane after several
hours in the water."
(NOTE:  The initial attack and damage was on Nov 8 1942, with a second attack
and further damage the next day.  The ship sunk on Nov 9 1942 about 12 miles
from Algiers.  http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l5/leedstown-i.htm)







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