Curtis Burnside YN2
Then, there is the story of Curtis Burnside. YN3 who joined the FRANK KNOX February 12, 1945 the day before the ship departed for Panama and the Pacific. Burnside was 21 at the time. He was a naturalized citizen originally from Canada. Plank Owners Al Smith and Bob Bachorski were older, many were younger. Burnside was in the middle of the age grouping.
All this information and more is part of a unique collection of one man’s service donated by Bill Atkinson for the 2022 Veterans Day auction. Burnside saved every form and paper from Selective Service, Navy recruiting, Boot Camp at Great Lakes IL, and his first two assignments. He was naturalized in 1941. He entered Boot Camp 3/10/1943, then went to SK Store Keeper) School before completing Yeoman’s course, including shorthand. Burnside scored well in school. His enlistment had the following abbreviations Y3c and SV-6 and USNR. The SV-6 means Victory plus 6 months. Burnside kept all Navy correspondence, his Blue Jackets Manual (signed by members of his Company 383, 58th Battalion, Great Lakes IL).Complete training school record, awards and Japanese Yen issued for shore leave in Yokosuka. There are 7 photos of MT Fuji taken from different locations. He saved his old rate badges from 3rd class when he was promoted to Y2c in 1946. One set of blues, one set of whites, gold buttons and two photos of FRANK KNOX taken in Boston and Los Angeles, likely before departure to the Pacific theater and on return to Los Angeles (Long Beach).
One small treasure was a collection of ships stationary embossed with the Rough Rider symbol his confirms the story crew members told of the origin of the Rough Rider design and the design proudly painted on each side of the number one stack.
Last there are three campaign awards and one USN spoon that Burnside saved all these years. A small envelope holds 5 gold buttons, two plain and three with eagles, one wing inside a circle. A complete and historic collection.
All this information and more is part of a unique collection of one man’s service donated by Bill Atkinson for the 2022 Veterans Day auction. Burnside saved every form and paper from Selective Service, Navy recruiting, Boot Camp at Great Lakes IL, and his first two assignments. He was naturalized in 1941. He entered Boot Camp 3/10/1943, then went to SK Store Keeper) School before completing Yeoman’s course, including shorthand. Burnside scored well in school. His enlistment had the following abbreviations Y3c and SV-6 and USNR. The SV-6 means Victory plus 6 months. Burnside kept all Navy correspondence, his Blue Jackets Manual (signed by members of his Company 383, 58th Battalion, Great Lakes IL).Complete training school record, awards and Japanese Yen issued for shore leave in Yokosuka. There are 7 photos of MT Fuji taken from different locations. He saved his old rate badges from 3rd class when he was promoted to Y2c in 1946. One set of blues, one set of whites, gold buttons and two photos of FRANK KNOX taken in Boston and Los Angeles, likely before departure to the Pacific theater and on return to Los Angeles (Long Beach).
One small treasure was a collection of ships stationary embossed with the Rough Rider symbol his confirms the story crew members told of the origin of the Rough Rider design and the design proudly painted on each side of the number one stack.
Last there are three campaign awards and one USN spoon that Burnside saved all these years. A small envelope holds 5 gold buttons, two plain and three with eagles, one wing inside a circle. A complete and historic collection.