Robert Pennington Price, Sr. passed away peacefully on April 16, 2017 at Shore Medical Center, Chestertown, he was 95 years old. Mr. Price was born in Massey Maryland on August 30, 1921. He was the son of the late Seth A. Price, Sr. and the late Ola Everett Price. As a youngster, he worked beside his 4 brothers and 2 sisters milking cows and farming the land. He handpicked tomatoes for 5 cents a basket. Mr. Price graduated from Galena High School and enlisted in the US Navy in 1939. He served on the USS Calhoun, which was a high speed transport ship that served a dual role as both a high-speed transport and an anti-submarine warfare vessel. In this role, the ship began preparations for the invasion of the Solomon Islands. On the morning of 30 August 1942, which was Mr. Price's 21st birthday, the Calhoun was bombed by Japanese aircraft. 51 men were killed and 18 wounded in her sinking, Mr. Price was one of the 18 wounded. Mr. Price was honorably discharged from the US Navy in 1946 and was a life member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. He was a life time member of the American Legion and a life time member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The Rock
My father is 90. He was drafted right out of high school and was headed to Japan when they signed the peace treaty. He spent a year as part of the Army of Occupation there. It doesn't seem that long ago that I knew several veterans of WWI, and now most of the WWII vets are gone.
