Project 888
Name: David Sanders TEERLINK
Rank / Rating: CWO-Chief Warrant Officer (Pay Clerk)Service #: 350802 DOB: Jan 21, 1921 From: Salt Lake City, UT Parents: Mr. and Mrs. C. G. Teerlink Went Aboard: Mar 10, 1944 Age When Ship Went Down: 24 years, 6 months, 9 days Spouse: Joyce Marriott Teerlink Children: David Stanford Teerlink Grandchildren: Bio Submitted By: Carl Fahnestock (Admin) |
 TEERLINK, David S |
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| Chief Warrant Officer David Sanders Teerlink was born on January 21, 1921 to parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.G. Teerlink. David came from a large family which included six siblings: Clarence G. Teerlink, Rdm 2c Lt. Heber N. Teerlink, Engineers Corps, New Guinea, Alvin Teerlink, Pan American Airways Mrs. G. Browning Rowe, Pittsburg, California Carolyn Teerlink Annette Teerlink The July 12, 1945 edition of the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper, Salt Lake City, Utah, included a birth announcement (see CRADLE NEWS article, page 10 posted below, in the Photos Section of this bio). The announcement shared that a boy named David Stanford Teerlink had been born on Tuesday, July 10, 1945 at the Latter Day Saints hospital. The boy was welcomed by parents David Sanders and Joyce Marriott Teerlink. At the young age of 24, the new father (David Sanders Teerlink) had already achieved success in his fledgling career in the United States Navy. He had achieved the rank of Chief Warrant Officer and was serving aboard USS Indianapolis (CA-35). The US Navy’s Bluejacket’s Manual (1) defines the qualifications necessary for promotion to warrant rank as follows: (1) Must be under 35 years of age on date of appointment. (2) The average mark in proficiency of rating as shown by his service record, excluding the marks assigned during his first year of service, is not less than 3.4 on a scale of 4.0. (3) Must be able to read and write English with facility, understand the first four rules of arithmetic and proportion, be able to keep a correct account of stores, and be thoroughly conversant with all instructions and regulations pertaining to the duties of the grade for which he is to be examined. (4) Must be able to pass the required professional examination. (5) Must be serving under continuous service as a chief petty officer or petty officer, first class, have not less than 5 years’ sea service, and at least 1 year must have been served in the rating of chief petty officer or petty officer, first class. In the case of promotion to machinist, pharmacist, or pay clerk, the candidate must be a chief petty officer, though an exception is sometimes made in the case of machinists. It is the conclusion of this biographical author that Teerlink most likely met the first four of the above qualification requirements but that he received an exception for the fifth requirement (i.e. he could not have met the requirement of having had 5 years or more of sea service). This conclusion was based on referencing a Desert News (Salt Lake City, UT) newspaper article dated September 27, 1945 (see article posted below in the Photos section of this bio). On page 10 of the newspaper, the article stated that Teerlink had “graduated from West High school in 1938 and attended the University of Utah until entering the U.S. naval reserve on Oct. 4, 1941”. The article further states that “in January, 1943 he was promoted to warrant officer and chief pay clerk of the USS Indianapolis”. If this information is correct, it would be doubtful that he would have been promoted to Warrant Officer after only serving just over two years in the Navy (Oct 1941 to Jan 1943). Given the stringent requirements for promotion to warrant rank, David Sanders Teerlink’s attained rank as Chief Warrant Officer (Pay Clerk) is indeed a testament to his talents and dedication to his service in the United States Navy. Teerlink’s performance and skills must have been very well respected by the Officers aboard Indy for him to receive this promotion. The family of David Sanders Teerlink can indeed be very proud of his achievements! (1) - The Bluejacket’s Manual, Eleventh Edition, 1943, page 39. | |
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