U.S Navy Engineer Officer 1917 - 1918
USS Arizona (BB-39) First World War
By Ron Brandenburg
My late father, Harry Brandenburg was a US Navy engineering officer aboard the battleship Arizona during the First World War. Aside from a few stories he told me when I was a young man I knew very little about his Navy activities during that time.
Ten years ago I was wandering through a bookstore and came across a very large history book titled “Battleship Arizona” by Paul Stillwell. I was interested in books relating to warships, having served in the Navy in the early 1950's as a radioman on both a cruiser and a destroyer. While browsing through the book, I stopped on pages 34 and 35 and saw a fabulous two page photograph dated 1918 showing the Arizona's wartime crew posing on the ships forecastle. Can you imagine my surprise and feelings when I recognized my father's face among the 4th line of officers? I was amazed that this history book located in an obscure corner of a book store contained a photo of my father taken over 90 years ago....
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