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	44k 187k	The three Barber brothers; Malcolm John (22), LeRoy Kenneth (21), and Randolph Harold (19) were the sons of Peter and Gertrude Barber of New London, Wisconsin. Malcolm and Leroy enlisted in the Navy on 08 May 1940 at Chicago, Ill. Following training at Great Lakes, Ill., Malcolm was assigned to USS Colorado (BB 45), and Leroy was assigned to USS Oklahoma (BB 37). Youngest brother Randolph enlisted in the Navy a few months later and initially was also assigned to Colorado. The boys communicated regularly and Leroy told them that duty on Oklahoma was better than most other ships. They were reunited when Malcolm was transferred to Oklahoma on 27 August 1940, and Randolph joined them on 11 November 1940. Each was advanced in rate; LeRoy and Malcolm became firemen, first class, and Randolph, fireman, second class. The brothers were on board Oklahoma the morning of 07 December 1941 when the Japanese attacked, and all three perished when she capsized at her berth along Ford Island. "Soon stories of tragic losses began to fill the newspapers and dampen the holiday spirit. Perhaps none were more tragic than the story of Gertrude and Peter Barber of New London, Wis., whose three sons, LeRoy, Malcom and Randolph, were all stationed at Pearl Harbor, when Japan attacked. It was not uncommon in those days for members of the same family to be stationed on the same ship or military post. The Barber brothers were all crewmen on the USS Oklahoma. In December 1941, the Barber family received a photograph of the three young sailors. The boys had their picture taken and mailed it to their parents as a Christmas gift. When it arrived at the Barber home the envelope was postmarked, December 5, 1941. On 21 December, a solemn-faced police officer delivered a telegram from the War Department informing the Barbers that all three of their sons were missing and presumed dead". (From a 02 December 2007 article in the Sheboygan Press by Bill Wangemann) On Wednesday, 10 June 2021, the U.S. military announced that it had identified the remains of all three Barber brothers. USS Barber (DE 161) (1943-1946) was the first ship named in their honor. (Photo from The Official Web Site of the USS Oklahoma BB 37 thanks to Kevin King)		Bill Gonyo Downey, Cal. Assoc. Researcher Navsource
	159k	04 May 1943: Norfolk, Va. - The future USS Barber (DE 161) on the Destroyer Building Ways, south of Drydock 4. In the distance is the north end of Bldg 163.		Brian Baird Chesapeake, Va..
	225k	20 May 1943: Norfolk, Va. - The future USS Barber under construction at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. (U.S. Navy photo #NHS-112-C)		Nick Tiberio Shelton, Conn.
	141k	11 September 2021: New London, Wis. - U. S. Navy personnel carry the remains of the three Barber brothers, Randolph, Leroy and Malcom, to their final resting place at Most Precious Blood Cemetery in New London. In 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency exhumed the USS Oklahoma Unknowns for scientific analysis and possible identification, at which time; the DPAA laboratory identified the brothers. The Barber brothers’ remains were accounted for on 10 June 2021. Nearly 80 years after their passing, arrangements were made to return the Barber brothers home to New London for a graveside service with full military honors. (Photo by John Faucher from the Waupaca County News)		Mike Smolinski Clifton, N.J. Archive Manager DE / FF / LCS Archive Navsource

Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
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Additional Resources

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Navsource APD Pages, USS Barber (APD 57)
Tin Can Sailors
The U.S. Navy Memorial
Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
The Destroyer History Foundation

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