Woodbury County

James M. Fahey

 

 

Finish Basic Sub Training

Second Class Seaman Harry H. Shellenberger and James M. Fahey have completed basic training at a submarine school at New London, Conn.

After further training aboard ship, the men will be assigned to active submarine duty. Seaman Fahey is a son of Mr. and Mrs. V. E. Fahey, 113 13th Street and Seaman Shellenberger is a son of Mrs. B. H. Shull, 3106 Irene Street.

Shellenberger is a Leeds High School graduate and won a letter in track. He enlisted in August, 1941. Fahey graduated from Trinity High School last May. He enlisted last June. Both men received basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station.

Source: The Sioux City Journal-Tribune, March 23, 1943 (photo included)

Sioux Cityan On Lost Submarine
James Fahey, Reported Missing, Served on Corvina Crew


James Fahey, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon E. Fahey, 113 13th street, who was reported missing January 13, had been a member of the ill-fated crew of the submarine Corvina, which recently was announced as lost by the navy department, his parents said Saturday night. He was a fireman second Class.

“We heard from Jim by letter November 2, 1943, saying that he was aboard the Corvina.” Mrs. Fahey said, “and that was his last letter.”

The Fahey family received a telegram January 13, from the navy department stating that the youth was missing. However, since that time no confirmation has been made as to whether he was serving aboard the Corvina when it was sunk.

Young Fahey enlisted in the Navy in June, 1942, a week after he had received his graduation diploma from Trinity High School.

A graduate of Trinity, Seaman Fahey also attended the Cathedral grammar school and was a communicant of the Cathedral of Epiphany. After enlisting in the navy he received his basic training at the great Lakes naval training station and later attended the range finder school, Mare Island, California and submarine school, New London, Conn.

Built at Groton, Conn, the Corvina was commissioned August 6, 1943. Although the navy department did not state where the Corvina made her last patrol, it was presumably operating in the Pacific against Japanese shipping. The navy reported that 65 officers and men were aboard the missing sub.

Source:  The Sioux City Journal, March 19, 1944

James Mathew Fahey was born May 5, 1924 to Vernon Edward and Mary Nooney Fahey. He died Nov. 16, 1943 (at sea) and is memorialized at the Courts of the Missing, Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Petty Officer Fahey served in World War II with the U.S. Navy aboard the submarine USS Corvina (SS-226) that sank south of Truk, probably by Japanese submarine I-176. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Sources: ancestry.com; oneternalpatrol website