Date of birth:

October 24th, 1921 (Toms River/New Jersey, United States)

Date of death:

February 15th, 2002 (Milford/Connecticut, United States)

Nationality:

American

Robert Lee Van Etten enlisted with the U.S. Navy in 1942. He saw combat from the Tarawa invasion through the Marianas operation.
He was discharged October 1945.

After the war he worked in the Civil Service U.S. Navy for 35 years mainly as BUWEPS Rep NAVLANT, working at Lakehurst NAS, Norfolk NAS and the Navy office at the Sikorsky Helicopter plant in Stratford, Connecticut.

He also moonlighted as a stand up jazz bass player and was well respected as a musician. During his career he played at times with Nelson Riddle, and a club date with Tony Bennett and Gene Krupa. For many years in New Jersey he was a member of the Walt Penny Trio.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

CPO 2nd class

Unit:

Gunner Air Group 16, USS Lexington (CV-16)

Battle of the Phillipine Sea, June 1944.
Bombing of Imperial Japanese Fleet at dusk returning in darkness to land on Carrier. His plane made a direct hit on Japanese Carrier.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

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