USS Indianapolis Lost At Sea

USS Indianapolis CA-35

Lost At Sea

Jean Obert RAGSDALE

Name: Jean Obert RAGSDALE
Rank / Rating: S1-Seaman First Class
Service #: 378 13 88
DOB: 1925
From: Exeter, CA
Parents: Arthur and Marie Ragsdale
Went Aboard: Apr 02, 1943
Age When Ship Went Down: 20
Spouse: Nada Francis Silver Ragsdale
Children:
Grandchildren:
Bio Submitted By: Patricia Stephens (Admin)
Date Posted:

Photo(s) Needed

Jean grew up in Tulare Co., CA., where he lived with his widowed mother, Marie W. Ragsdale, and his brother Herchel W. Jean and his brother were born in CA. The family was living in Enid, Grant Co., OK on April 1, 1935. Jean's step-father, Arthur, died before 1940. The reader should be aware that Jean’s date of birth is not known with certainty. No draft registration card, birth certificate/registration or announcement has been located. Jean is noted on the 1930 census as 4 years old. The age given was supposed to be his age prior to April 1, 1940. Therefore, he may have been 5 years old. He is noted on the 1940 census as 14 years old. The age given was supposed to be the age at last birthday before 12:01 on April 1, 1940. Therefore, Jean actually may have been 15 years old when the census was taken. If this is true, it establishes a date of birth of c1925. If born in 1925, he may have been 17 years old when he enlisted in the Navy on December 15, 1942. The consent of his parent would be required for him to enlist. If born in 1926, he may have been 16 years old and too young to enlist. It is possible Jean was not truthful about his age and used a forged birth certificate and parental consent to enlist. This was not a rare practice during WWII. Two years after enlisting, Jean obtained a marriage license in November 1944, and gave his age as 21 years. If this was his true age it would indicate he was 18-19 years old when he enlisted and establishes a possible date of birth of c1923-1924.

Jean enlisted in the US Navy on December 15, 1942, at San Francisco, CA. On December 17, 1942, he was received from San Francisco and transferred to the USN Training Station at Farragut, Idaho, as a AS (Apprentice Seaman). While at Farragut on February 19, 1943, his rate advanced to S2c. After completing basic training he traveled to Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., where he went aboard USS Indianapolis CA-35 on April 2, 1943. Jean’s rate advanced on August 1, 1944 to S1c. After obtaining the marriage license on November 10, 1944, Jean wed Nada Frances Silver, age 18. The date the marriage occurred is unknown but most likely close to the date of the license. Jean was on board for nine of the 10 engagements for which Indianapolis earned 10 battle stars. Tragically, Jean was on board July 30, 1945 when Indianapolis received two direct torpedo hits from Japanese submarine I-58 and sank is less than 12 minutes. Also on board were three fellow crew members who grew up with Jean in Lindsay, Tulare Co., CA. Robert Herman Swanson Bernard E. Tisthammer Roland James Edwards Nada, his wife, was living in Exeter, Tulare Co., CA at the time of Jean’s death.

Source Credits

Official USN Muster Rolls, Deck Logs and Review of Changes 1940 US Census, CA, Tulare, Exeter, E.D. 54-17. House #120. Enumerated 6 May 1940, citing Jean O. Ragsdale Visalia Times-Delta, (Visalia, Tulare Co., CA), Sat, Nov 11, 1944, Vol. 34, No. 62, page 3 citing marriage license notice of Ragsdale-Silver. Navy Department, Casualty Section, Office of Public Information (1946): Combat Connected Naval Casualties, WWII, by States; Vol. 1, (AL-MO); CA, p. 72. citing Nada Francis Ragsdale Lindsay Gazette, Tulare Co., CA, Friday, Aug 17, 1945, Vol. 44, No. 45; page 1 Lindsay Gazette, Tulare Co., CA., Friday, December 7, 1945, No. 9; page 15 Lindsay Gazette, Tulare Co., CA., Friday, December 21, 1945, No. 11; page 1 Lindsay Gazette, Tulare Co., CA., Friday, June 1, 1945, No. 34; page 2

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