ELGIN LEROY STAPLES

STAPLES, ELGIN LEROY Elgin Leroy Staples, a member of the "Greatest Generation," died peacefully at the San Diego Hospice on November 15, 2009. He was 86. Mr. Staples led an interesting and varied life. Born in a farmhouse in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 1923, he learned, among other pre-plumbing and pre-electric farm skills, how to plow a straight furrow with either a team of horses or mules. His grandparents owned the only restaurant on the Butler Airport. While helping out there as a youth, he often saw and talked to Amelia Earhardt and her very close friend and flying partner, Helen Richie. He sat on Ms. Earhardt's lap more than once during her lunches at the restaurant. He also once witnessed the arrival and feeding of the entire U.S. Army Air Corps remembering that they flew biplanes, wore white scarves, high-top leather boots and riding breeches. His folks then moved to Akron, Ohio, where, before finishing high school, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps to help support the family. Stationed in California for two years, when old enough, he left "the C's" and enlisted in the United States Navy in early 1941. He underwent basic training at the San Diego Naval Training Center and was then assigned to the USS Astoria which was initially sent to the Philippines. However, it was immediately recalled to remove American civilians from Wake, Midway and Guam Islands in anticipation of a coming war. The Astoria was at Pearl Harbor on December 5th, two days before the attack, when emergency orders were received to evacuate the active aircraft carriers and their support ships immediately. Based on his personal experiences, he always believed that someone knew something about the impending Japanese attack. The Astoria, with then Signalman 3rd Class Staples aboard, was ordered to support the landing at Guadalcanal Island and was left behind as a rear guard when the main fleet retreated. The result was the Battle of Savo Island during which both the Astoria and the USS Vincennes were sunk by an overwhelming Japanese naval counter attack. Mr. Staples survived the sinking and a terrifying night adrift in the black waters with the aid of a lifebelt, which ironically had been inspected by his own mother who worked for the manufacturer, the Firestone Company back in Akron. Signalman Staples was then stationed on the USS Enterprise which was in turn sunk during the cataclysmic Battle of Midway. Upon discharge from the Navy, Mr. Staples was, among other careers, a chicken rancher in Devore, California, a postman, a San Bernardino Firefighter, a technician in a Trona California Potash plant but then ultimately settled down to be a long-term successful stock broker. He was also an accomplished cross stitcher who had his needlework displayed in the Del Mar Fair. He is survived by his son, Shawn Staples of Los Angeles.