Moffit, North Dakota, 75 years, 1905-1980

• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: North Dakota State Library
• Subjects: Corral; Edith; Homestead; Hornet; Long Beach; Morse; Murmansk; New Zealand; Pacific; Trinidad; Wakefield; North Atlantic; morse
• Online Access: http://cdm16921.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/ndsl-books/id/31678

ARTHUR AND LORETTA (PLANTE) HOFFMAN Arthur, Loretta and Karl Hoffman I grew up in the Moffit community and attended both grade and high school there. I graduated from high school in June 1938. In October I joined the navy — took my training at Great Lakes. I was assigned to the U.S.S. Pensacola and boarded ship in December 1938 in Long Beach, CA. Feb. 1, 1939, we left for a cruise. We visited Columbia, Trinidad, Brazil, Haiti, Cuba and the Panama Canal. We returned to Long Beach in April. In October of 1939 we were sent to Hawaii. I had a home on Waikiki Beach. I returned to the states in December. We operated out of Pearl Harbor until September of 1941; during which time I had temporary assignment in Shanghai, China. We visited Samoa, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Christmas Island, and most of the South Sea Islands. In September of 1941, we returned to the states. At this time I was transferred to the U.S.S. Hornet. When war was declared, I was in Washington, D.C. From this time until April 1942, we were on sub patrol. In April 1942, we were assigned to take General Doolittle on his air raid on Tokyo, Japan. After the raid we returned to Pearl Harbor. I managed a transfer to Boston, MA, and was assigned to the U.S.S. Boston. We were placed on the North Atlantic convoy run to Murmansk, Russia; stopping at London enroute. In August 1942, I married Mary Martin of Wakefield, MA. In September 1942, I was sent to the Pacific. While there were were in several battles: Corral Sea, Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and Sava Island. In heavy battle we lost our ship, the Boston, on Nov. 12. We had a crew of 285 men; 11 survived. I was in the hospital in Tulagi (New Haberdies Island) for four months. In February 1943, I was assigned to a mine sweeper, YMS 117, operating out of New Caledonia. I stayed there two years. In February 1945,1 was transferred to an LCIM (a landing support ship). We were to do one more invasion, Ihea Shima, just south of Japan. I stayed on that ship until the war was over. I hold a few medals: Purple Heart, Phillipine Liberation, American Theatre, European Theatre, Pacific Theatre, Victory Medal and Good Conduct. After discharge I went to work in the Boston navy shipyard until 1961. I retired from there as a weapons system mechanic. I then worked for Avco in Lowell, MA, until 1963. I was divorced in 1963. Loretta and Karl Hoffman I moved to New Hampshire in 1963. I met Loretta Plante, a divorcee with seven children. In 1964 we were married and we had a son, Karl, in June 1965. In April 1967, we moved to San Antonio, TX, and lived there three years. We returned to Nashua, NH, in 1970. We are presently residing in Nashua where I am a Master Electrician. Arthur C. Hoffman C.J.B. HOFFMAN FAMILY Family gathering - 1973 (L to R) Edith Smith, Hazel Boening, Mae Wentz (sisters); John Hoffman and Gerry Hoover The C.J.B. Hoffman family came to the Moffit vicinity in 1903 (before there was a town) arriving at Sterling. There were four daughters and one son. Bert B. Morse, brother of Mrs. Hoffman, came with them and took a claim west of our homestead — close to Brittin. Bert and our father worked together most of the time and it was our great pleasure to have him come to see us. In 1905, he went to St. Paul to a Traction Engineering school and graduated in the fall. He owned a big steam engine and separator. 174 Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.