Eugene H. Stueve
World War II
Eugene Stueve was born on March 24, 1923, near Templeton to Fred and Cecelia (Friedman) Stueve. The family farmed southeast of Templeton until 1935 when they moved to Dedham. They returned to the farm in 1942. Eugene attended school in Templeton.
Eugene registered for the military draft on June 30, 1942, and indicated he was a resident of Des Moines and employed by Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. He was inducted into the US Navy in Des Moines on January 23, 1943, and assigned serial number 859 08 82. He was sent to the Naval Training Station at Farragut, ID near Coeur d’Alene for boot training. He remained at NTS Farragut for additional training. His time there also included a hospital stay from March 27, 1943, to April 5, 1943. On April 8 he was promoted to S2c (seaman second class).
On May 16, 1943, Eugene arrived at the Receiving Station in San Francisco, CA for assignment. On June 30, he became part of the crew of the USS Pierce, a 459-foot attack transport designated APA-50. On July 28, 1943, Eugene was married to Evelyn Brauckman of Dedham. The wedding took place at St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco. During August, 1943, Eugene completed a six-week course in anti-aircraft weapons at the Navy base Treasure Island, CA.
The USS Pierce was part of the task force ordered to capture, occupy and defend the island of Makin in the Gilbert Islands. Their first assault landing was November 20, 1943. Makin was secured on November 24 and the USS Pierce returned to Pearl Harbor with wounded troops.
On January 1, 1944, Eugene was promoted to EM3c (electrician’s mate third class). The USS Pierce had completed five weeks of training in amphibious warfare off Maui when they were assigned to the assault on the Marshall Islands. They were part of the capture of Kwajalein on January 22, 1944. By February 8, 1944, the USS Pierce was returning to San Diego, CA for overhaul.
Eugene was transferred on July 15, 1944, to the crew of LCI (L) 762 (landing craft infantry-long) at San Diego. This was a new ship designed to take up to 200 troops for beach landings. The ship was 158 feet in length. After a period of training, the ship sailed from San Diego on October 10, 1944. On November 1, 1944, Eugene was promoted to EM2c (electrician’s mate second class). On February 18, 1945, the ship crossed the equator as it moved toward the fighting.
As the ship prepared for the invasion of Okinawa, it was fitted with rocket launchers and, on March 15, 1945, was re-designated LCI (R) 762. The ship moved toward Okinawa on March 26 and remained there until late June when the island was finally taken at great cost. The Pacific war ended in August with the atomic bomb attacks on Japan. Eugene and his ship were assigned occupation duty at Taku, China in September. By October 4, 1945, Eugene had been ordered back to the United States. He was discharged from the US Navy as an EM1c (electrician’s mate first class) (E-6 equivalent) in Minneapolis, MN on November 20, 1945.
Eugene farmed near Templeton for the remainder of his life. He died at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Omaha, NE on May 18, 1978 at age 55. He was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Templeton.