Monday Maritime Matters
February 11th, 2008 by xformed
Related reading: Sunday Ship History: U.S. Navy in Africa and Fred Fry’s Maritime Monday 97.
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The Connole family name is Irish with David Connole’s grandfather, Anthony, immigrating from County Clare, Ireland in the mid-1800’s LO Carroilton, Illinois. David R. Connole was born on September 8, 1912 in Madison, ILas the first son of Henry Connole and Mary Rickart Connole. He did well in school and also became an Eagle Scout. After attending llinois College for two years, he gained entrance to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1932 and graduated in 1936. For the next three years, he served aboard the cruiser USS Boise then entered Submarine School.
From December 1939 to August 1943, Commander Connole served aboard the submarine USS Pompano which was involved in numerous war patrols in the Pacific. He then became executive officer of the USS Cuttlefish. In 1944, he took command of the USS Sennet and in 1945, he became the commanding officer of the USS Trigger. The U.S.S. Trigger was lost in battle off the coast of Japan in March, 1945.
Commander Connole was awarded two Silver Star medals, the Bronze Star medal and the U.S.S. Trigger earned the Presidential Unit Citation for three war patrols.
Vida Wimbrow was born on June 8, 1917 and raised in Annapolis, Maryland. She and David met in 1935 and were married in 1938. This young Navy couple lived in New London, Connecticut, San Francisco, California and Honolulu, Hawaii. During the war years, Vida lived in Annapolis. Their only son, Rickart Alan Connole, was born in September, 1944. David last saw his son at Rick’s christening in November, 1944.
In 1949, Vida married Captain Roy S. Benson who, by coincidence, commanded the U.S.S. Trigger in 1942 and was an instructor of navigation to David Connole at the Naval Academy.
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