Name: Frederick Robert STANTURF
Rank / Rating: MM2-Machinist's Mate Second Class
Service #: 865 73 99
DOB: Dec 17, 1924
From: Columbia, Missouri
Parents:
Went Aboard: Oct 24, 1943
Age When Ship Went Down: 20 years, 7 months, 13 days
Spouse: Rosalee Ester (Hammond) Stanturf
Children:
Grandchildren:
Bio Submitted By: Admin
Date Posted:

Machinist Mate Third Class Stanturf was born December 17, 1924 at Columbia, Missouri. He attended school on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation; his father was the teacher. The family moved back to Missouri in 1939 where he attended high school in Princeton, Missouri. Frederick, known as Ted, joined the Navy in February 1943 before finishing his senior year in May.

He took training in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and Farragut, Idaho. He was assigned to USS Indianapolis where he spent the rest of his short life. He married Rosalee Ester Hammond on June 9, 1945, while the ship was in Mare Island Shipyard in California for repairs from the kamikaze attack March 31st. Captain McVay had given the crew Liberty to return home. The crew was quickly called to return to Mare Island for an unknown assignment that would end WWII. Ted was back on-board USS Indianapolis June 20, 1945. As Ted left home to return to Mare Island on July 15, he said good-bye to his wife of five weeks.