Jack Neighbors
Mystic— Jack C. Neighbors, 93, ofMystic passed away at home Sunday morning, July 19, 2015.
He was born Feb. 2, 1922, in Louisville, Ky., to James H. and Beatrice C. (Williams) Neighbors.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on March 12, 1940, and upon completion of boot camp at Great Lakes, Ill., he was assigned to the USS Dewey DD-349 Deck Division, home ported in Pearl Harbor. He volunteered for Asiatic duty on Dec. 1, 1940, and was assigned to S-39 (SS 144), home ported in Manila, Philippines. When in Pearl Harbor, hewas on leave and missed the S-39 when it went under way and was instead assigned to the S-38 (SS143) and made two war patrols. In August 1942, he returned to the S-39 in Brisbane, Australia, to make its final patrol. When S-39 went aground on Adele Island in the Solomons, the crew was picked up by the HMAS-Katoomba and returned to Brisbane. After a brief stay, he was assigned to the USS Grampus where he made two patrols. Hewas transferred back to the states for new construction in Manitowoc, Wis., on board the USS Kraken. After the Krakenwas commissioned, he went back to the Pacific and made one patrol. He was then transferred to the relief crew in Perth, aboard USS Bugara (SS-331), making his last two patrols as the war came to an end. He retired as an engineman chief on Sept. 6, 1961, aboard the USS Crevalle (SS291). Following his naval career he worked at Electric Boat for 25 years, retiring in 1987.
He was a life member of the Groton Lodge of Elks 2163, SubVets Inc. of Groton, SubVets ofWWII, Groton, The Holland Club, RAFA, New London, VFW 3263 in Mystic, and the Fleet Reserve Assoc. Branch 20 in Groton.
Jack was predeceased by two wives, Dorothy (Kaiser) Neighbors, whom he married on Jan. 25, 1947, and passed in April of 1987. He then married Virginia (Daniels) Neighbors in May of 1992, who passed in May of 2011.
He is survived by two daughters, Ruth Ann Brancato (Frank) of Groton and Ginger Waldron (Shawn) of Groton; a stepson, TomDaniels (Amy) of Monroe; two stepdaughters, Janice Anglin (Randy) of Virginia Beach, Va., and Barbara Baker (Ed) ofWaterford; three grandsons, two granddaughters, eight stepgrandchildren, three great-granddaughters, and three great-grandsons, and a step-great-grandson.
Calling hours will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday at Byles-Groton Memorial Home, 310 Thames St., Groton. Funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, July 25, at the funeral home. Burial will be in Colonel Ledyard Cemetery with military honors.
Please visitwww.Byles.com to sign the guest book or to share a memory.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Cancer Society.