Joseph Martin Boeding (1920 - 1945)
Lost at sea aboard the U.S.S. Trigger
World War II, Pacific Theater
Great great grandson of Franz Xavier Boeding (1796 - 1878)
Related links: TRIGGER I - Picture, crew list of U.S.S. Trigger
Joseph Martin Boeding was the son of Conrad Boeding and Mary Waller Boeding. He was born on October 5, 1920. At the time, the family lived on a farm east of Kelly, Kansas. During his preschool years, the family moved to a farm west of Corning, Kansas. He attended grade school at St. Patrick's School, Corning, and high school at Corning Rural High School. He graduated in 1940, rated fifth in his class. After graduation, he worked for two years in Colorado and Iowa.
The principal source of his life in the U.S. Navy are his letters to his family. There are sixty one of these, dating from July 30, 1942 to December 22, 1944. They are addressed variously: Dear Mom or Dear Mom, Dad, Sisters and Brothers, or Dear All. In many letters, he addresses individuals at the head of a paragraph, usually in reference to some news about that individual, or in answer to a question.
The first sentence of the first letter was: "Here I am all ready to do my part for Uncle Sam".
On July 28, 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. On that date, he went to Topeka to enlist in the Marines. When he discovered there was no Marine Recruiting Station in Topeka, he promptly opted for the Navy. He 'signed up' at 11:10 a.m., was examined by noon; to Kansas City by 2:30 p.m. and examined before 5:30 p.m.. After supper at a cafe, he went to a theater where he enjoyed the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. The next day was spent at the Recruiting Station from 8 a.m. till 8 p.m. when he and twenty eight others boarded a train for Chicago and the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. They arrived there about noon the next day. Then another day of tests and X-rays, after which he moved into the camp for basic training. The training unit consisted of one hundred sixteen men, the twenty nine from Kansas, the rest were 'Easterners', "all friendly fellows".
In his first letter from Great Lakes he asks that the "Courier" (local Kansas weekly paper) be sent. On October 22, 1942 he says he is enjoying it very much. Joe's letters do not state how long basic training lasted, and, when special training started. In the letter of November 25, 1942, he states simply that he is "now in the torpedo shop".
In January, 1943, he transferred from Great Lakes Naval Training Station to Treasure Island, the naval base near San Francisco. Two post cards, mailed en route, to his parents are postmarked: Raton New Mexico, January 15, 1943 and Needles, California, January 16, 1943. Four letters followed. Three of them gave Treasure Island as the place of origin. The last letter from Treasure Island is dated February 4, 1943. At this point, he transferred to the U.S.S. Sperry, the "mother ship" of the U.S.S. Trigger. The next thirteen letters give the U.S.S. Sperry as the place of origin. The first such letter is dated February 26, 1943, the last dated September 28, 1943.
During his Navy career, Joe maintained a high level of enthusiasm for all his assignments and duties. As early as August 9, 1942 he states: "I do love it" and in the same letter: "I think I can make the navy a career". On January 23, 1943 he writes: "Do not worry about me. The U.S. fleet is the safest place in the world". The one exception occurred when he joined the U.S.S. Sperry where he was assigned as mess cook. His words: "I was so disappointed" tells it all.
Some time in early October 1943, Joe was assigned to the U.S.S. Trigger. After this his letters omit the place of origin. In the first such letter dated October 20, 1943, he simply states: "I like my new job". Then he adds: "Hope I get to go out soon - will be what I wanted for the last sixteen months".
The U.S.S. Trigger was the submarine which established such an awesome record against the Japanese. The Navy magazine 'SHIPMATE' (the eyes and ears of the Navy) in its June 1946 issue on page 20 says this of the U.S.S. Trigger:
"IN A GLASS CASE NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO THE NAVAL ACADEMY MUSEUM LIES A WHITE SATIN BANNER WITH FORTY-FOUR JAPANESE FLAGS EMBROIDERED UPON IT. ON THE BANNER IS EMBROIDERED ALSO THE NAME 'USS TRIGGER' AND THE OUTLINE OF A SUBMARINE. THAT IS ALL THAT IS LEFT OF ONE OF THE GREATEST FIGHTING SHIPS OF WORLD WAR II. HER SHATTERED HULK LIES SOMEWHERE UNDER THE SEA, AND WITH HER ALL THAT WAS MORTAL OF NINETY-FIVE BRAVE SOULS."
Joe's only comment about the Trigger was more subdued. On October 25, 1943 he wrote: "We have done a good job in this war. You will probably see a picture in the paper of our ship for her great work".
In his letters Joe referred freely to his religious experiences while in the service. On July 30, 1942 he says the Seneca and Baileyville churches combined could not have held the crowd at Mass. And, he wants his rosary and prayerbook sent. On August 8, 1942 he says there were between five and six thousand at Mass on Sunday. On November 8, 1942 he writes: "I wish you could have heard the sermon we got yesterday. I do think we have a God-sent man for a chaplain". On April 3, 1943 he writes from the U.S.S. Sperry: "We do not have a Catholic chaplain on our ship. Please don't worry about it. We are usually where we can go to church". On August 9, 1943 he speaks of the death of his uncle Peter Waller. "Received the news about uncle Pete. It sure is too bad but guess it is one thing the good Lord will never tell you before hand; just so a man is ready for it when it comes. May God bless him and the rest of the boys who died in the last year. We say the rosary here in a group and will offer mine for them". On October 28, 1943 he says that Mrs. Beck had sent him a Sacred Heart badge. "Sure is nice". On October 20, 1943 he explains: "We don't have a chaplain on board but there is one on the base. Sure am glad. There wasn't one for a long time". On December 22, 1943 he says he expects to go to midnight Mass on Christmas.
Joe also speculated about other things. On November 16, 1943 he writes: "I suppose you sometimes wonder where I am. I am fine. Hope you never worry for I don't. And I don't see why any one should shoulder my troubles". On July 23, 1943: "Time passes fast. The Fourth was just another day except we touched it up with a real feed". On August 1, 1943: "Skell sure looks cocky. I don't blame him. Any one should be proud of his uniform. - I think we will get to the States in another year. That will be a happy day. Believe it or not, in the last two months I have had just four beers, not reasonable but true". On August 4, 1943 he wishes he could help them pick the big corn crop. "Sure would like to see a weed again, that would really be nice. Or just a sunflower".
He seems to feel the dare-devils of the Air Force were too reckless. In this connection he comes up with this gem on September 27, 1943: "If a turkey sticks his neck out too far, he will get it chopped off". (This from a Torpedo-man 3rd class itching to get his turn at the trigger). On September 28, 1943 he asks: "Is Skell still in N.C.? He will never realize what the states are until he leaves them". On December 19, 1943 he becomes nostalgic about the Christmas dinner at home, then adds: "Maybe it won't be too long and we can come home, every one". Three days later: "Don't overstuff yourself at Christmas dinner. I know I will". On December 14, 1944: "Maybe someday I will be back there. Sure am anxious for that day. I did not realize things were quite so nice back there till I came back the last time. It is everything people say it is. God's country. A place to dream about". Then he adds: "Maybe some time soon we will all be there".
A large part of Joe's letters are given over to the family, his parents, brothers and sisters. His most endearing remarks are addressed to his mother. On November 2, 1942 he writes: "It was awful to here you were in the hospital. If you would quit working so hard you would be better off". The letter on April 13, 1943 includes this: "Mother, of all the letters I get there ain't any like yours. Just to think from whom it comes". On October 28, 1943 he is "glad to know you will not need another operation". Then comes this gem on December 22, 1943: "Mother, don't worry about me ever getting married. I just don't have time for that. But as for advice, you can send me all the advice you wish. I know I need it. I will never be so old that I can't use it". Then on January 21, 1944 came this: "Received your swell letter. Mother, I some times wonder if you aren't a little too charitable. You are always helping out. What will people do around there when you are gone? Everyone knows you are a grand person. Yes, the swellest mother anyone could wish to have". On February 22, 1944 he says: "Mother, surprised to hear you were not up to Ed's. I think you should have gone. I guess you will never change. You never did like to travel". In the same letter: "So you're getting a pair of glasses. Good, mother; if you ever get in a spot, draw the money I have and use it. It's alright with me. After all, I will never be able to repay you and dad for all you have done for me". On August 14, 1944: "Received your swell letter this morning. Sounds as if you must have been feeling pretty good to get up before breakfast to write to me. Sure do appreciate it. Would love to be there and eat some of those scrambled eggs over toast and bacon, with you. Bet they're delicious". His last direct remark to his mother is on September 24, 1944. Here he becomes a boy again. "O gosh mom, you ought to see my head. I got it shaved".
From Joe's letters I get the impression that most of the letters from home to Joe were written by his mother. As a result, his father is not mentioned nearly as often. There are several "Thank you's" to his father for things his father had sent him. On July 15, 1944 he is concerned that his dad is working too hard. His comment: "After all you are not a spring chicken any more".
The letters are replete with references to his brothers and sisters. For the older ones, away from home, he is constantly grateful for their letters and packages. At first he urges Skell and Ollie to join the Navy. After that he is concerned about their welfare in the Army; and their whereabouts.
In the early letters, Joe feels the younger ones "at home" should share in the letter writing from home. On September 10, 1943, he shows impatience with Lambert, when he says to his mother: "I do not think Lambert ever wrote a letter in his life".
Nevertheless, there are more references to Lambert than to any of the others. He is much concerned that Lambert is now alone at home to do the farm work: that Lambert is really needed on the farm more than in the armed forces; but, if drafted, he should opt for the Navy. Several times he wishes he could be with Lambert to help him with the work. On August 1, 1943 he writes about Lambert: "I wish he were here to help me fish. Just think of how a little boat like those at Lake Nemaha would get tossed up on a roll twenty feet high; and when you came down, everything else in you came up".
While at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Joe made several Sunday visits to the home of a family named Beck. Joe mentions this on December 21, 1942. "They treat me swell, like their own son." After Joe left Great Lakes, the Beck's wrote to him regularly. Joe's reaction on September 23, 1943 was: 'I don't know what is so good about me, that they like me so."
When Joe's parents decided to leave the farm and move to town, several letters show that he was quite excited about the sale of the farm equipment. Joe's last letter is dated December 22, 1944. He continues to express his interest in the sale. "How was the big day? I mean the sale."
Late in March or early April 1945, the submarine Trigger was lost at sea, along with the entire crew. The last communication from the Trigger was a weather report on March 26. Search operations were carried out during all of April. On May 1, 1945 she was reported as presumed lost in enemy waters west of Honshu Island, Japan. She had been on her twelfth patrol.
The telegram announcing that Joe was missing in action at sea came on Mother's Day, May 14, 1945.
A Memorial Mass was said for Joe on June 27, 1946 at St. Patrick's Church, Corning; followed by the civic ceremony in front of the church. I remember that I came from Fort Riley to attend this. During this visit I heard his mother tell that during his last visit home Joe had asked for his favorite chicken soup. She lamented that she had not taken greater care in preparing it.
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