My Journey Back: The Belknap Brothers

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

The Belknap Brothers - Not Forgotten

Me - My Mom -Ruby Alberta Belknap - Donald Francis Belknap - his brother, Martin Henry Belknap - his sons, Gordon Bernard Belknap and Robert Martin Belknap

As we get closer to Remembrance Day I've been thinking of those many brave men and women who served their countries. Many of those heroes are in our families trees. I thought it was time to find them and make a point of acknowledging them. Two of those young men are brothers who never had the chance to grow old. Gordon Bernard Belknap and his younger brother, Robert Martin Belknap are two of the fallen sailors who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. They are the sons of Martin Henry Belknap and Matilda Anne Krekofsky. Both were born in Sterns County, Minnesota, United States. Gordon Bernard Belknap on September 1st, 1919 and Robert Martin Belknap on May 7 1925. Gordon enlisted at the young age of 17 on May 4th, 1937. He went missing when his ship the U.S.S. Pecos was sunk by a Japanese aircraft on March 1st, 1942. Gordon was just 22 years old. His younger brother, Robert turned 17 just after Gordon went missing. Robert followed Gordon by enlisted at 17 on March 31st, 1942. At 20 years old, Robert is listed as missing when his ship the U.S.S. Luce is sunk by Japanese aircraft.

The brothers are listed on page 2 of Minnesota in the "World War II Navy, Marie Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties, 1941-1945" right next to each other.

Timeline of Gordon and Robert from the Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 on Ancestry

1937-May-04 Gordon enlisted in the navy at Minneapolis
1939-May_15 Gordon received from USS Chicago FFT Asia
1939-May-29 Gordon on Muster Roll USS Henderson sailing from San Francisco to Honolulu
1939-Jul-09 Gordon transferred from USS Augusta to USS Henderson
1939-Jul-10 Gordon on Muster Roll USS Henderson sailing from Tsingtao, China to Shanghai, China
1940-Dec-24 Gordon received on board USS Pecos
1940-Dec-31 Gordon on Muster Roll USS Pecos
1941-Mar-31 Gordon on Muster Roll USS Pecos
1941-Jun-30 Gordon on Muster Roll USS Pecos
1941-Aug-05 Gordon appointed Water Tender 2nd Class
1941-Aug-08 Gordon on Muster Roll USS Pecos
1941-Sep-30 Gordon on Muster Roll USS Pecos
1942-Mar-01 Gordon is listed as missing in action when the USS Pecos was sunk by Japanese aircraft south of Christmas Island

1942-Mar-31 Robert enlisted in the navy at Minneapolis
1943-Jun-21 Robert received on board USS Luce from R/S Lido Beach, L.I., N.Y.
1943-Jun-21 Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
1943-Dec-31 Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
1943-Dec-31 Robert transferred to USNH Dutch Harbor, Alaska
1944-Feb-07 Robert received from NOB Dutch Harbor
1944-Feb-29 Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
1944-Mar-31 Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
1944-Jun-30 Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
1944-Sep-30 Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
1944-Dec-31 Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
1945-Mar-31 Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
1945-May-04 Robert in listed as missing on Muster Roll with the sinking of the USS Luce