Person:Herbert Van Aken (9)

Watchers
m. 26 Apr 1905
  1. Herbert Newman Van Aken1909 - 1976
  2. Alice Van Aken1911 - 2008
  3. Gretta M Van Aken1914 - 2009
  4. Myrtle Helen Van Aken1917 - 2010
  5. Donald Arthur Van Aken1921 - 1990
m. 16 Jul 1932
Facts and Events
Name Herbert Newman Van Aken
Gender Male
Birth? 8 May 1909 Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan, United States
Census? 1910 Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan, United States
Census? 1920 Battle Creek, Calhoun, Michigan, United States
Marriage 16 Jul 1932 Cuyahoga, Ohio, United Statesto Katherine Collette Malone
Death? 12 Feb 1976 Newport, Richey, Florida, United States


Biography by Michael J. Anderson, George Griswold, and Ann Croston

Early life and education

Herb attended grade school in Milan, MI., Junior HS in Ypsilanti, MI. and graduated from Ypsilanti High School. He played trombone in the school band and some of their concerts. After graduation from high school he attended and graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Electrical Engineering. During his college years (1927-1931) he continued to play trombone in the University of Michigan band and the Ypsilanti band. While a senior at U. of M., Herb was vice president of his class. During high school and college he helped his father in the plumbing and heating business.

After Graduation from College, Herb worked for Union Switch and Signal in Swissvale, Pa. just east of Pittsburgh. After a little more than a year he was laid off. He returned to Ypsilanti and worked again for his father. When his father died in 1933 he took on the responsibility of closing his father’s business.

Herb’s father had worked on the development of a clubhouse resort at Cordley Lake (between Ann Arbor and Brighton, Michigan) and the family had a cottage there. Herb worked at the clubhouse helping a couple that ran the resort. His wife Kay worked in the dining room. During this period he returned to the University of Michigan for a semester of graduate school earning a second Bachelors degree in Engineering Mathematics.

He took a job with Square D Electric in Cleveland, Ohio in June 1935. After about 2 years the Company transferred him to Akron, Ohio.

Naval Service

When WWII broke out, Herb joined the Navy on 6-9-1943. He went through basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station just north of Chicago and then completing Indoctrination Training at Naval Training School at Ft. Schuyler, NY , 9/24/43. After basic training he received 20 weeks of radar training at Princeton, NJ and16 weeks of advanced radar training at MIT in Cambridge, Mass from 3/1/44 -6/29/44. During this period he was advanced from Seaman to Ensign June 14, 1943 and then to a rank of Lt. J.G. which was awarded 7/20/43 and to Lieutenant 9/1/44.

Herb reported for transfer to the USS Wasp (CV-18) on 7-31-1944. He was on the Wasp until about 11/7/45. While on the Wasp, Herb was a Radar and Administrative Officer. He was responsible for maintaining the radar units on the carrier’s fighter aircraft and had a staff of about 26 men working for him. His photo on page 88 of the Wasp (CV-18) Blue book, bottom photo, shows Herb as the first officer on the left in the first row. While on the Wasp Herb was promoted to full Lt. and Airborne Radar Officer. His battle stations are listed in the Roster of Officers as C.I.C. and Fly 2 in May and October of 1945. Herb was on board when a bomb hit on March 19th, 1945 and exploded in the galley on the third deck just aft of midship. There were 122 casualties and over 200 wounded in that incident. One hour later a two engine Japanese “Jill” bomber attempted a Kamakaze dive on the Wasp and missed the edge of the deck by 30 ft. The Wasp participated in many battle actions in 1944-45. Herb saved in his records a schedule for one day of such action. He served in the Navy until 12-6-1945.

After the war, Herb returned to Akron and the Square D Company where he worked as a Sales engineer. While in Akron Herb joined the Naval Reserve and participated regularly in Reserve activities. He was promoted to Lt. Commander on 2/10/56 while in the Reserve. Herb retired from the Reserve 5/1/56. He also took up flying and earned his private pilot’s license. He took my brother and I for our first airplane ride when we were very young.

Later life

In 1954 Square D transferred him to Southeastern Michigan and he and Kay bought a home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. While in Bloomfield Hills he became a member of the US Power Squadron and regularly taught classes in Seamanship and Weather.

He retired from Square D at age 62 with over 35 years of service in Nov. 1975 and bought a Condominium in Beaconwoods, New Port Ritchey, Florida, Both Herb and Kay liked to travel and took trips to Spain, the Carribean, Mediterranean and many other places during his retirement.

Herb's hobbies included flying, golf, electronics, sailing, canoeing, fishing and, genealogy. He maintained a scrapbook of his WWII years and kept news articles on his old ship until it was scrapped in 1974.

Herb discovered that he had brain tumor in 1976 after he had made plans to play as a part of the Alumni band at the Michigan Minnesota Game and was not able to participate. He passed away when the surgery to remove the tumor was not successful, December 2, 1976.

His body was cremated and his ashes are interned in Hudson, Florida just north of New Port Ritchey in the Tampa area. There is also a memorial stone to Herb in the Coldwater, Michigan cemetery.

His wife Kay suffered from Lupus disease and she passed away in Florida less than a year later on August 11, 1977.

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