Doddridge County Roots

A West Virginia Genealogy

First Name Last Name
Home Search Login  
Share Print Bookmark
Robert Boyd PERNELL

Robert Boyd PERNELL

Male 1922 - 1966  (44 years)

Personal Information    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Robert Boyd PERNELL 
    Born 23 Mar 1922  Smithton (now Smithburg), Doddridge Co, WV Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2] 
    • Birth date given in SSDI as Mar 23 1920, but birth record shows it as Mar 23 1922. He was age 8 in the 1930 Census and 18 in the 1940 Census.
    Gender Male 
    Military (ENLISTED 1941/42)  [3, 4] 
    PhM, US Navy, WW II, USS Leedstown (AP-73) 
    • Served aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Leedstown (AP-73), the destroyer USS Laffey (DD-724) (known as "the ship that would not die" and now a museum ship in South Carolina), the PCE-900, and the attack cargo ship USS Virgo (AKA-20).

      From a news article in the West Union Herald of February 1, 1945:
      "Robert B. Pernell, Pharmacist Mate 1/c, has been in the Navy three years. Fourteen months of this time was spent in European waters. He was a member of the crew of the ship Leedstown, bound for the United States, after unloading troops in North Africa, and which was attacked and sunk by the enemy on Nov. 8, 1942. He and other members of the crew were picked up by airplane after several hours in the water."
      (NOTE: The initial attack and damage was on Nov 8 1942, with a second attack and further damage the next day. The ship sunk on Nov 9 1942 about 12 miles from Algiers. http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l5/leedstown-i.htm)
    Census 1930, 1940  West Union District, Doddridge Co, WV Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Occupation 1951  [5] 
    pressman at Fisher Body 
    Occupation 1954  [5] 
    millwright at Fisher Body 
    Residence Grand Rapids, Kent Co, MI Find all individuals with events at this location  [5, 6] 
    Died Nov 1966  [7] 
    Person ID I81901  Doddridge County Roots
    Last Modified 4 Oct 2014 

    Father Nathan Goff PERNELL,   b. Mar 1888, Doddridge Co, WV Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 30 Jun 1971, Ohio Co, WV Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 83 years) 
    Mother Grace Edna SIMS,   b. 9 Jul 1886, Doddridge Co, WV Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 9 Apr 1956, Smithburg, Doddridge Co, WV Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 69 years) 
    Family ID F33112  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Emilie L. ___,   b. 15 Jan 1918,   d. 1 Nov 1973, East Grand Rapids, Kent Co, MI Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 55 years) 
    Family ID F41425  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Sources 
    1. [S2569] West Virginia Births Index, 1853-1969 [database on-line], (Ancestry.com).

    2. [S2028] 1930 Census, Doddridge County, WV (West Union District).

    3. [S2598] U.S. World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 [database on-line], (Ancestry.com and National Archives).

    4. [S691] West Union Herald, 2/1/1945.

    5. [S2201] City Directory.

    6. [S1924] Social Security Death Index.

    7. [S15] Social Security Death Index.