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The White Boats of Pearl Harbor: Unveiling the Heroic Stories Behind Their Names

Chapter 2: TB-39–2, SAMUEL G. FUGUA

David Hodge
6 min readSep 11, 2024
TB-39–2 SAMUEL G. FUQUA resting at Ford Island, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Now painted gray, the boats were originally painted white. No one questions why we still call them the “White Boats.”

BORN — October 15, 1899, Salt River Township (now known as Laddonia), Missouri.

MARKED MOMENT — Fuqua attended the Naval Academy after first studying at the University of Missouri following his service in the Army during World War One.

DEC. 7, 1941 — Lieutenant Commander on board USS Arizona (BB-39), serving as the First Lieutenant and the Damage Control Officer.

PREWAR SERVICE

Before Fuqua joined the Navy, he was first in the U.S. Army during World War One. He was also a Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadet at the University of Missouri. After the war, he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 1923.

Fuqua reported to the USS Arizona (BB-39) in June 1923 with his childhood sweetheart and newlywed bride, Edna Agnes Hammett, of Hannibal, Missouri.

USS Arizona (BB-39) at anchor, circa 1930.

Other ships he served on were the destroyer USS Macdonough (DD-231); and the battleship USS Mississippi (BB-41). He also had shore duty assignments at San…

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David Hodge
David Hodge

Written by David Hodge

Retired Navy Musician, I'm now a Community Relations Manager in Pearl Harbor. I'm also a woodworker and a guy that's always putting something together.

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