John Kenneth Madden US Navy USS California |
Information provided by Kathryn Madden. |
My father John Kenneth Madden was a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. He was a radioman on the USS California. Although he seldom spoke of the war or that day, he did tell me that he saved the lives of a some of his fellow sailors by leading them up in the dark as the ship was burning and sinking. He said he was able to do so because he did not feel comfortable below decks due to a feeling of claustrophobia so he had memorized his way in the dark to make himself feel better. That day he knew the way in the dark and led others out. He never collected his commendation for it and it has only been recently that the Navy informed us of it. He served on many ships during the war and we have learned lately that he had to have been very good at his job to be assigned to the USS California, a flagship, so close to graduation from training. We met a fellow radioman from Dad's ship. He had not known Dad but his father-in-law had trained my father in San Diego. We learned much from him and was so grateful he took the time to tell us about the ship and that day. Dad later went on to be at Normandy also. I met several of Dad's Naval friends when I was a child including one who he saved that day. My father sadly died from a massive heart attack on Nov. 16, 1966. I still miss him very much. |
