Bennett, Robert J. 'Jim' 1923-1941

BENNETT, FETT, KOHLMEYER

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 6/4/2024 at 19:31:28

Robert James (Jim) Bennett, 18, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Bennett, 1497 Dodge Street, was one of the American sailors who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have received a telegram from Rear Admiral Randall Jacobs, chief of the Bureau of Navigation of the Naval Department, telling them that the department has officially declared their son to "have lost his life in the services of his country as of Dec. 7, 1941."

The boy's father is a veteran of World War One, has been prominent in activities of the Dubuque post of the American Legion, and is the founder and for many years skipper of the Ship Legionnaire of Sea Scouts. He is also superintendent of the Federal Barge Lines Terminal here.

The Bennett boy is the third Dubuquer to have been officially listed as killed in the Pearl Harbor attack.

He enlisted in the Navy Dec. 1, 1940, and held the rank of fireman third class. He was born Sept. 11, 1923 at Monona, Ia., and came to Dubuque in 1925, when his parents moved here. He attended Irving and Lincoln schools, was graduated from Washington Junior High School, and was attending the Senior High School when he enlisted.

He was a member of the Sea Scout groups of which his father was skipper and won his quartermaster's badge, the highest rank in Sea Scouting, which was conferred on him last February when he came home on a furlough from the Navy. He had previously won his Eagle Scout rank, the highest rank of Boy Scouting, as a Boy Scout.

Surviving with is parents is his brother, Donald, at home.

The telegram from the Navy Department follows:
"After exhaustive search it has been found impossible to locate your son, Robert James, fireman third class, U.S. Navy and he has therefore been officially declared to have lost his life in the services of his country as of Dec. 7, 1941. The department expresses to you its sincerest sympathy."

~Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, February 17, 1942; pg 1 & 2
~ a photo of Bennett was printed with the obituary, to view see his entry on the WWII Honor Roll, Military Records, Clayton co. IAGenWeb site

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[the followig article actually begins on pg 1, with an interview with Robert's brother Donald, not transcribed here. It was continued on pg 9 with his obituary, that I've partially transcribed here:

Robert James Bennett - who went by Jim - enlisted in the Navy soon after graduating from Dubuque Senior High School, his nephew said. He was an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts and a quartermaster of the Sea Scouts.

He did basic training at Naval Station Great Lakes and trained to be a machinist in Michigan, Matt Bennett said. He was a machinist on the USS Oklahoma before being classified as a fireman.

The Navy fireman third class was aboard the battleship, according the the Defense Department, when Japanese aircraft fired multiple torpedoes at USS Oklahoma on Dec. 7, 1941. Servicemen in those quarters are believed to have been trapped in an air pocket when the battleship overturned, later drowning.

The serviceman's mother, Myrna Fett, died in 1985. Bennett's death "tore up" Robert's father and he died soon afterward. Fett remarried.

Robert Bennett is survived by, at least, his brother Donald, niece Molly Kohlmeyer, nephew Matt Bennett, a grandnephew and two grandnieces.

Robert James Bennett will receive a military funeral, likely in Dubuque, Arlington, Va., or back in Hawaii.

~Cedar Rapids Gazette, September 17, 2018; pg 9

Note: a photo of Robert, his brother Donald & mother Myrna Fett, taken in 1930 was printed with the article.

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Battleship remains identified as former Monona man
by Pam Reinig, Register editor

U.S. Officials have identified the remains of a sailor killed in the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor as those of an Iowa native.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced September 10 that the remains of Navy Fireman 3rd Class Robert J. Bennett were accounted for on August 13.

The 18-year-old Bennett was born in Monona. The agency says he was aboard the USS Oklahoma when Japanese aircraft attacked the battleship and other ships at the Honolulu base. He was one of the 420 crew who died when the Oklahoma capsized and sank. Only 35 of those sailors and Marines were identified in the years following the attack.

Bennett's remains and those of other unidentified Pearl Harbor casualties eventually ended up at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Agency personnel began removing remains from the cemetery in 2015. Since then Bennett and 100 other unknowns have been identified using DNA tests and other evidence.

Bennett's name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the cemetery. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

It was not immediately known if Bennett still has family in the area.

~Clayton County Register, Wednesday, September 19, 2018; pg 4

Clayton Co. IA Military Records
 

Clayton Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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