Paul Abernathy

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MMS2C Paul Abernathy served in the United States Navy in World War II
Service started: 24 Aug 1943
Unit(s): Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 545 (Seabees)
Service ended: 31 Oct 1945

Biography

PAUL HARLEY ABERNATHY was born 4 September 1918 in Marion, Grant County, Indiana. He was the fourth of eight children born to Harley Mills Abernathy (1890-1973) and Esther Gertrude Shields (1894-1933) who were living at Rural Route #8, Washington Township, Grant County, Indiana.

PAUL married MABEL MARIE HOLSINGER on 8 October 1938 at the Christian parsonage in Frankton, Indiana. MABEL was born 12 Oct 1920 in Buck Creek Township, Hancock County, Indiana. Her parents were Oscar Cleveland Holsinger (1881-1952) and Maude Othel (Jacobi) McCombs (1890-1966).

Children of PAUL HARLEY ABERNATHY and MABEL MARIE HOLSINGER:

• i. DONALD DEE ABERNATHY. Born 14 May 1939 in Anderson, Indiana.

• ii. JUDITH ANN (REEVES) ABERNATHY. Born 19 May 1940 in Anderson, Indiana.

• iii. JANET SUE (GAMBLE) ABERNATHY. Born 20 April 1941 in Anderson, Indiana. Died 9 October 1957 of pneumonia in Anderson, Indiana.

• iv. DEANNA KAY (HARDIN) ABERNATHY. Born 8 July 1942 in Anderson, Indiana.

In 1930, PAUL was living on his father’s farm in Richland Township, Fulton County, Indiana. In 1940, he was working as a laborer on a Works Progress Administration (WPA) County Road Project in Fulton County, Indiana.

PAUL enlisted into the US Navy on 24 Aug 1943. He was assigned to Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CMBU) 545 where he served as a Fireman First Class and Machinist Mate/Shop Machinist. CBMU 545 was organized at Camp Peary, Virginia, in November 1943, CBMU 545 was moved to Port Hueneme, California, on Nov. 26, 1943. Embarking Jan. 3, 1944, the outfit arrived at Finschaven, New Guinea, via Gamadodo on Milne Bay. Returning to Milne Bay Aug. 24, 1944, the unit operated at that base until June 1945, when they moved to Hollandia, New Guinea. Paul was discharged on 31 October 1945.

After the war, PAUL was living at 2427 Brown Street, Anderson, Indiana, and working in production at the Guide Lamp Division of General Motors.

PAUL and MABEL divorced in January 1954. Paul married Helen Louise (Smith) Snellenbarger sometime after 29 August 1954. In 1955 they were living at 2714 Fletcher St, Anderson, Indiana.

PAUL retired from Guide Lamp in 1973. He was a member of Elwood Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5782. He was also a member of United Auto Workers 663 and Anderson Eagles Lodge Aerie No. 174.

PAUL died on 24 Apr 2000 ( age of 81) of pneumonia at Manor Care, 1345 N. Madison Avenue, Anderson. He was buried on 27 Apr 2000 at Memorial Park Cemetery, Anderson.

Sources

• Indiana State Board of Health. Birth Certificates, 1907-1940. Microfilm. Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.
• Alexandria Times-Tribune (Alexandria, Indiana), 12 Oct 1938, Wednesday, Page 3.
• Ancestry.com. Indiana, Birth Certificates, 1907-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.
• Year: 1940; Census Place: Anderson, Madison, Indiana; Roll: m-t0627-01072; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 48-10.
• Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
• NAVPERS-553, Notice of Separation from the U.S. Naval Service #1045-726-8
• Seabees, Where They Worked and Fought in World War II. An U.S. Navy official brief of the itinerary of all the organized U. S. Naval Construction Battalions and special units.
• Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
• Anderson Herald (Anderson, Indiana), 24 January 1954, Sunday, Page 12.
• Anderson Herald (Anderson, Indiana), 29 August 1954, Sunday, Page 12.
• Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
• Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, Indiana). 25 April 2000, Tuesday, Page 29.
• Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, Indiana). 25 April 2000, Tuesday, Page 29.
• Indiana Archives and Records Administration; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Death Certificates; Year: 2000; Roll: 08.