Page 94 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine Fall 2019- Online Magazine
P. 94
Robert Cummings Prankster, “Swab world war ii
Jockey” and Naval Navy
Hero by Larry A. Williams
Veterans Liasion Co-Chair
Texas South Plains Honor Flight
After being assigned to Norfolk injured during WWII, he refused
Naval Station, 1 Coxswain the Purple Heart award.
st
Cummings was then assigned
to the USS Saugatuck AO-75, After his discharge in 1945,
which was formerly known as Robert headed to Lubbock
the SS Newton. It was renamed where he worked at McDonald’s
the Saugatuck on September 16, Funeral Home. He then attended
1942. Norfolk Naval Station the Dallas School of Mortuary.
opened on July 4, 1917 as the He said one of the hardest things
U.S. entered WWI. It is now the he had to do was to go tell a
world’s largest Naval Station. family that their son had been
The Saugatuck killed. On a tour of Carlsbad
headed for the Caverns, Robert met
obert F. Cummings Panama Canal Helen Headstream.
grew up in the small in the spring While Robert grew up
RTexas Panhandle town of of 1943 and on an only child, Helen
Memphis. Born to Robert C. and to San Diego had seven sisters
Clara Cummings on August 27, before heading and two brothers.
1925, Robert was an only child. to the Pacific One of the brothers
The senior Robert was exposed Theater. Some turned out to be
to mustard gas during WWI of the islands one of Robert’s high
and passed away in 1951. As that Robert school coaches. After
his daughter observed, “Robert was stationed dating for only three
F. seemed to have two different near were months, Robert and
personality types depending on Saipan, Guam, Helen were married.
which side of the coin you were Tinian, Western Caroline Islands, Helen affectionately called
on. One side of him was proud, Philippines, Iwo Jima and him “hot lips.” They had three
private, humble, honorable, Okinawa. Robert jokingly called children: Kathy, Jan and Kelly.
dedicated, and sincere. The himself a “swab jockey.” Always Helen passed away in May 2017.
other side of him was ornery, the prankster, he and some Robert was a mortician and
mischievous, stubborn, mean buddies couldn’t resist sneaking funeral director at McDonald’s
at times, self-centered and a spider monkey onboard the and later Rix Funeral home for a
high maintenance. He loved ship. total of 43 years.
his Cadillacs and also pulling
pranks.” Robert was well-aware The oilers were frequent targets Robert went on the inaugural
of the attack on Pearl Harbor on of Japanese aircraft. On June 2012 Texas South Plains Honor
December 7, 1941. He was in the 18, 1944, the Saugatuck was Flight. Not surprisingly, the
early years of high school and attacked three times. While only Navy Museum was his favorite
living in a small town; he was one seaman was killed, several stop in Washington. His son,
involved in boxing, football and others suffered injuries. Robert Kelly, was his guardian on the
tennis. Being a high-spirited was one of the injured after an trip.
young man, he wanted to join indirect hit on the ship. The
the military and help defend blast nearly capsized the ship,
our country. He enlisted in the and he was flung onto the side
Navy after his junior year in high of the ship where the oil lines
school. He was able to complete were housed. One of his knees
his G.E.D. on board his ship. became lodged in some of the oil
His diploma was mailed to his lines and shattered his kneecap.
mother’s house. Many young Crewmates were eventually able
men received their diplomas that to cut him out, but he had to have
way while the war was going on. surgery later and had a plate put
in his knee. Like many of those
94 Lubbock Senior Link
