The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the August 2021 story of the month has been selected to recognize the service of Elizabeth S. Dudley, Navy Wife of Captain John Bauman Dudley Jr. The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program was privileged to interview Elizabeth S. Dudley at the Vinson Hall Retirement Community.

Elizabeth Dudley was born in Marietta Georgia and aspired to pursue a career in social work after putting herself through college. She met the love of her life named John Bauman Dudley who was also from Marietta and was planning to attend the United States Naval Academy. Elizabeth and John were marred following his graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 1939. Upon graduation, John entered the silent service and was assigned to the USS O-2, the second of the O-Class submarines designed for coastal defense during World War One. The boat was used for training at the onset of World War Two. John was part of the recommissioning in February of 1941 and led the crew to refit and prepare the boat for service after being inactive since 1931. The United States was at peace when John entered the service, but the clouds of war were on the horizon.

Elizabeth recalled, "We were at the Navy Club in New London when war was declared...the men were ordered to the barracks immediately and the woman had to find their way home." After the United States declared war against the Empire of Japan, John was assigned to the USS Haddock SS-231, a Gato-class submarine which was commissioned in March of 1942. Elizabeth shared, "he had a wonderful skipper who earned four Navy Crosses and my husband got the Silver Star and Bronze Star," for successful war patrols against the Empire of Japan.

While her husband was at sea, Elizabeth decided to return home to Marietta to be close to family as she raised her children. Elizabeth spoke vividly of life on the Homefront and challenges to feed her family while her husband was at war. She shared, "we had nothing, no bananas, no butter, no meat... we lived on $150.00 a month." Despite the conditions at home, Elizabeth anxiously waited for her husband’s letters and word that he was safe. She remarked,  "By the time I got letters back in Marietta, he would already be back at sea and at that time the Class of 1939 lost more people in submarines than any other class and it was just harrowing being home.” Upon returning home, Captain Dudley had been assigned to the USS R-12 at Key West before receiving orders to the Pacific as the Captain of the USS Chivo SS-341. Captain Dudley served a distinguished career in the Submarine Service, survived the war and continued to serve during the Cold War.

The story of Elizabeth Dudley illustrates the courage, sacrifice, resiliency, and heroism of Navy Wives who served on the Home Front while their husbands were at sea during World War Two.

The United States Navy Memorial honors Elizabeth S. Dudley, Navy Wife of Captain John Bauman Dudley Jr, featured within this series titled, Tales from the Navy Log, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at https://www.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service.

To view this interview please visit the Vinson Hall Veterans Collection on the Navy Memorial Stories of Service page.