Home
Up
Gen 2: Thomas Oberrender

Back to Main Web

Members

Toc      

Gen 1

Gen 2

Gen 3

Gen 4

Gen 5

Website History

Web page last updated: 03/12/2003

[Photo courtesy of Sterling Colthurst]

Lt Jr Grade Oberrender with his mother and bride, Muriel

[Photo courtesy of Monique Bonjour]

Tommie and Muriel on their honeymoon
 

[Photo courtesy of Monique Bonjour]

Tommie and Muriel on their Honeymoon at the Castle

    'Thomas Olin Oberrender, Jr., born in DuBois, Pa., 24 September 1906, graduated from the Naval Academy in the Class of 1927.  After serving in armored cruiser ROCHESTER (ACR-2), gunboat TULSA (PG-22), heavy cruiser LOUISVILLE (CA-28) and other ships, he attended postgraduate school from 1934 to 1936, followed by duty in battleship NEVADA (BB-36).  Assigned as engineering officer in destroyer HULL (DD-350) in 1938, he became her executive officer the following year.  After a brief period of duty ashore he reported on board the new light cruiser JUNEAU (CL-52) in November 1941, when the ship was just fitting out.  When she commissioned the following February, he was her engineering officer.  Lt. Comdr. Oberrender died 13 November 1942 when JUNEAU was torpedoed and sunk in action in the Solomon islands.'  Reference “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” (1970) Vol. 5, p.130-131.

 

Thomas Oberrender was killed in action aboard the USS Juneau in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942.  Only ten crewmembers survived.  For information on Thomas Oberrender and the loss of the USS Juneau, along with pictures of the Juneau and crew, click on one of the pictures or links below [Courtesy of Suzanne Beall].  
 

    Muriel sponsored the USS Oberrender, which was named after her husband.  The USS Oberrender (DE-344) was laid down by the Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas, 8 November 1943; launched 18 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Thomas Olin Oberrender, Jr., widow of Lt. Comdr. Oberrender, and commissioned 11 May 1944, Lt. Comdr. Samuel Spencer in command.  [Courtesy of Bob Beall] [Transcribed by Michael Hansen from the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” (1970) Vol. 5, p.130-131] [Navsource Naval History]

    'The USS Oberrender (DE-344) was sponsored by Mrs. Thomas Olin Oberrender, Jr., widow of Lt. Comdr. Oberrender, and commissioned with LCDR Samuel Spencer in command. 
    Following commissioning and fitting out, the USS Oberrender sailed 28 May 1944 for Bermuda, where she conducted shakedown until early July. She steamed via Norfolk and Aruba for the Panama Canal, which she passed through on 1 August 1944.
    Assigned to protect convoys plying between Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok, the new destroyer escort completed two runs to the Marshalls by 30 September. After a stop at Manus, Admiralties, the USS Oberrender escorted Rear Admiral Sprague's jeep carriers to the Philippines for the invasion of Leyte. A brief trip to Morotai, however, caused her to miss the epic Battle of Leyte Gulf.  
    The ship was in Seeadler Harbor, Manus, 10 November only 1,100 yards from Mount Hood (AE-11) when that ammunition ship blew up. Damages incurred from flying debris and exploding ammunition forced the Oberrender to remain at Manus for the rest of November. The next month found her back in fighting trim, and for three more months she conducted escort and patrol duties in the Dutch East Indies and Philippines areas. As United States forces pushed closer to the Japanese home islands, the USS Oberrender moved along with the fleet.
    Through April and into May, Okinawa was the focus of attention. There, on 9 May 1945, a Japanese suicide plane crashed into the ship on her starboard side. A bomb carried by the plane penetrated the forward fire room, where it exploded and caused extensive heavy damage. Twenty-four sailors were killed, wounded, or listed as missing as a result of the blast. 
    Towed to Kerama Retto, the USS Oberrender was beyond repair. She  was decommissioned and struck from the Navy List. Stripped of all worthwhile equipment, her hulk was sunk by gunfire on 6 November of that year. The USS Oberrender earned 3 battle stars for World War II.'
                             
National Archives #80G382879                               #BS132048   

Personal comment: Commissioning this ship must have been a very exciting time in Muriel's life, for she lived and died in Tommie's memory.