MM1/c Stanley Dale Russell
Stanley Dale Russell was born on December 3rd, 1895 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to James Russell and Sarah Wright. After completing school, Stanley would get a job as a chauffeur until the United States entered WW1 on April 6th, 1917. Nineteen days later, Stanley enlisted in the US Navy Reserve Force to serve his country. After a few months of training in New Jersey, Seaman Russell was placed on active duty status on September 18th, 1917 and sent to the USS Hisko just 3 days prior to it being commissioned on December 6th, 1917. In late December, Seaman Russell accompanied the USS Hisko on a fuel run to Devonport, England and another cargo run through severe winter storms to Plymouth, England in February. He would leave the ship on March 21st, 1918, but not before being promoted to Machinist Mate 2nd Class.
USS Covington After a brief assignment in New York, QM2c Russell would be moved to the USS Covington on May 9th, 1918, a German ship that was seized, renamed, and pressed into Navy service. During his time aboard the USS Covington, they would make multiple voyages transporting American troops to Brest, France in support of the Allies. On July 1st, the USS Covington was returning from Brest when it was torpedoed by the German submarine U-86. The crew was evacuated from the ship, and although it desperately tried to stay afloat, the ship succumbed to its wounds the next day and sank with the loss of six lives. After being rescued, Russell would be billeted on the USS Carola until August 15th, when he was transferred to the US Navy Air Station in Brest, France. When the Armistice was signed on November 11th to officially end WW1, Russell would be promoted to Machinist Mate 1st Class and transferred to US Navy Base 19, also in Brest. He would remain here until April 1st, 1919, where he again was billeted on the USS Carola until returning to the US on September 26th, 1919. Upon returning home, he was removed from active duty on October 15th, but remained in the US Navy Reserve until being discharged on April 26th, 1921 in Philadelphia. Afterwards, he married Helen Henderson in 1923, had a son, and opened his own farming business. He would pass away in 1982. |
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