Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1939 Lucky Bag:

ALLAN GEORGE WUSSOW

Snuffy, Wuss

Battalion Track 3, 2, 1; Choir 4, 3, 2, 1; Stamp Club 3, 2, 1, President 1; Boat Club 3, 2, 1; Radio Club 4; 1 P.O.

When Snuffy flashed his captivating smile on the Naval Academy, the grey walls of Bancroft Hall lost much of their sombre hue, and four years of academic struggle have not dampened his already cheerful outlook on life. He never missed a single hop if he could help it, and his knowledge of things terpsichorean is amazing. He is fond of all kinds of music; swing for dancing, concert for relaxation, and jam sessions for recreation. Versatile in athletics, tennis and swimming are his favorite sports. For a hobby he finds a great interest in philately. He learned from that bitter teacher, experience, that the system can’t be beaten. Intensely interested in contemporary national problems, Wuss promises to be one of the Navy’s outstanding officers with a flair for things progressive.

Loss

Allan was aboard a PBY-5 Catalina with Patrol Squadron (VP) 91 when that aircraft went “missing in action since making contact with the enemy” on October 14, 1942.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Allan graduated from Clinton, Iowa, high school in 1933 and participated in football. He attended Wartburg college in Clinton for one year before the Naval Academy. His appointment was made by Congressman B. M. Jacobsen of Clinton.

Allan married Mary Clare Carscadden on July 12, 1941. He had arrived from Honolulu, Hawaii, just two days earlier.

His father was Erich, foundry superintendent for Williams, White & Co., mother Rae, and brother Charles. He was also survived by his grandmother Marie Wussow and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

His wife, Mary, was listed as next of kin; he was also survived by a daughter, Margaret, who was seven months old at the time and whom he had met only once. He was also survived by his parents.

Allan’s sword was up for auction in June 2012.

Regulation sword with a 28 7/8" triple etched blade with patriotic motifs and “Allan G. Wussow”, in excellent condition showing no wear. Gilt brass hilt, fish skin grip and triple wire wrap also in excellent condition. Brass mounted leather scabbard with minor flaking. Top mount is engraved “AGW”.

Photographs

From the Lucky Bag

From Kenosha Evening News on November 25, 1942.

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.

The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.

The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together, or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.