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Two classic pin-up calendar pages with a hand written message on them are what Sally started with for this story. In this episode, we discuss a bit of pin-up art history and then get into the writing on the pages. Five sailors on the U.S.S. Mission Bay signed this “last will” and we’ll tell you what we found out about these men. As most WW II Veterans have passed away, and Memorial Day was just weeks ago, we felt this was a form of remembrance –with a bit of a twist.

Alberto Vargas and an example of his artwork for the Ziegfeld Follies

Famous World War II Plane – Memphis Belle

• Aviation Machinist Mates:
• Allen A. McConkey (1923-2011)
• Robert F. Lawless (1925-2003)
• Harold L. Morgan (?) *
• Chester A. Clark Jr. (1923-2021)
• Peter Paul Sartori (1920-1984)

Allen Arthur “Buddy” McConkey and Chester Arthur Clark Jr.

*Thanks to our good friend William Griffing (episode #48) we found information about our “unknown” machinist mate, Harold Lewis Morgan. One of the personnel rosters has Morgan’s full name as Harold Lewis Morgan.  He came to the Mission Bay from the Philadelphia Naval Yard but I don’t think he was a native of Philadelphia. He may be the Harold Lewis Morgan, born in January 1925, and living in Kosciusko, Indiana, the son of Ben F. Morgan. Morgan left the Mission Bay on 9 April 1946 and was to report to Norfolk for duty. This HPM from Indiana was discharged from the Naval service on 1 November 1946 when he was 21.  Says he was born in Downer’s Grove, Illinois.

To Hear This Episode:

https://www.sallysdiaries.com/podcast/episode/7f7ffe0d/52-world-war-ii-pin-up-and-a-last-will