As I start to think about a post pertaining to my grandfather, I struggle to come up with things to say. As most of you have surmised, this blog is dedicated to memorializing those that served and are serving in the military. When I remember my grandfather, that’s not the side of him I remember.
Born April 21st, 1918 in Siloam Springs Arkansas, Albert Jacob Rapp was born to a barber. Albert Jacob senior and his brother Edward Rapp owned the local barber shop. Edward had a son named Eddie, my grandfather’s first cousin who also served in the military.
Grandpa also went by Harpo or Harp, his curly hair reminiscent of Harpo Marx. I didn’t realize until I was older than his name was Albert Jacob like my brother, I just assumed it was Harpo because that’s what my grandmother used to call him!
Grandpa graduated high school in 1936, then married my grandmother in 1938. He had a job working for Cessna, then took a job at Boeing in Kansas. Because he was building aircraft engines used by the military, he was exempt from joining up. In 1944, the Army Air Corps cancelled the program, so grandpa was required to enlist.
He went into the Navy and was sent to radio school in Indianapolis Indiana. He was going to be a radioman in dive bombers, but his hearing wasn’t good enough to hear the code that came in over the engines. So, he was sent to Boston to a receiving station to wait out his ship assignment.
Radio School IN
Waiting around didn’t appeal to grandpa, so he got a job working the night shift at a bakery, then checked in during the day for his orders. One of his chiefs liked him and asked if he would like to make third class, which came with a raise. He took the position and he was slotted as a mailman. When his ship came in, he ended up in the hospital with kidney stones. His ship sailed without him and later he discovered it was sunk off the British coast.
His assignment then sent him to an APL-34, a two deck barge, unpowered and towed by a sea tug. It was supposed to be used to pick up troops, but while grandpa was on it, it never did. He went to Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand. They went through a huge typhoon that sunk several ships, leaving them unharmed since their ship had no stack or opening other than the hatches. Once secured, it could float upside down if need be. They sailed in the area of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, but not close enough to be in the battle.
Navy Life
In February, 1946, he was released to find a ride back to the states and to his family. I hope you enjoyed hearing about A.J. Rapp and his Navy career. My next post will talk more about my grandfather, Harpo.
Great to hear his story. These military adventures did so much to mold them into the men they became! PS: my Dad worked at Boeing, too, but several years later.
Thanks for reading! His generation was so different and what they did during the war seems pretty amazing to me.