An old sailor’s message for a new war

By Theresa Goffredo

Herald Writer

EVERETT — The comparisons to Pearl Harbor have been made. And no one would agree more than Navy veteran Robert Rome Sr.

He lived through the attack on Pearl Harbor. And he has lived long enough to see the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and the Pentagon.

"When you see those buildings coming down and you see Pearl Harbor, it was the same thing," the 83-year-old Rome said. "It was just a mess. Men trapped in ships, and you had to leave them in there to die."

In this post-Sept. 11 time of looking for heroes and remembering the country’s protectors as part of Veterans Day on Nov. 11, Rome will play his part. He recently finished a book on his experiences during World War II and will talk about it during a presentation Sunday at the Everett Public Library’s main branch.

Free talk

Everett author Robert Rome Sr. will talk about his recent book on his experiences during World War II during a presentation Sunday titled “One Sailor’s Memories.” The program begins at 2 p.m. in the auditorium of the Everett Library’s main branch, 2702 Hoyt Ave.

Steven Ooten, community relations librarian, said Rome’s story is like that of hundreds of other hometown Everett boys who became war veterans. What’s interesting is that Rome had the perseverance to write down his memories, Ooten said.

"He wasn’t a great hero," Rome said. "He’s an Everett boy who grew up and went to school and joins the Navy. He spends time doing all those things and he comes back and has a new wife he acquired in the service, and he builds a house and raises a family. And that’s sort of the real point of the thing: He was that kind of hero. There were millions of them."

It took Rome three years to write the book. It’s titled "Cracker Ass," the nickname given to the young Navy signalman after one of Rome’s shipmates noticed how Rome’s rear end didn’t fill out his uniform very well.

On the book’s cover is a 1940s-era picture of the young Rome wearing a sailor cap and looking lovingly into the eyes of Esther Obwald, the woman he married during the war.

The book’s 119 pages are written in a forthright fashion. Rome’s almost unrelentingly blunt account of the sinking of the USS Pensacola is one example of the author’s prose as he describes how the ship "had flames shooting up from the main deck to the height of the tripod mast on the stem. There were gun tubs attached to the mast, and gun crews being burned to death in them."

Seconds later, Rome saw that another ship, the USS Northhampton, had become the victim of Japanese fire:

"She was going down stem first with the bow sticking up in the air and was silhouetted against the flames. … It was bedlam everywhere. Star shells lit up the sky, the inflamed gun crews on the Pensacola were firing hysterically, and I felt that the tracers were neck high to me."

Rome enlisted in the Navy and was called into action on April 23, 1941 at the age of 22. He quit two jobs and left behind a pile of beautiful lumber — the foundation for a fishing boat he planned to build.

When he returned to Everett in 1945, Rome was able to build his fishing boat — he has actually built two in his lifetime. He also built his home on Cedar Street where he and Esther raised their three children.

In remembering World War II, Rome said he lost so many buddies from his boot camp that he was surprised at his lack of emotion.

"It was like I was getting to used to it," Rome said sadly. "A lot of us kids went through this war with those same feelings."

But Rome believes, especially now, that his wartime experiences might help today’s young people as they prepare for war.

"I’m against war," Rome said. "But I know human beings will go to war, and the ones who get the worst of it are the young ones."

You can call Herald Writer Theresa Goffredo at 425-339-3097

or send e-mail to goffredo@heraldnet.com.

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