THE ODEBOLT CHRONICLE, Volume Fifty-One, Number 51, January 3, 1939
Five sons in the United States Navy--all stationed
on one ship--is the record held by Floyd Patten of Cook township.
The sons are Gilbert, 27; Marvin, 25; Clarence, 23;
Allen, 22; and Ted, 20. At the present time all of them are on the U.S.S.
Nevada. Three other boys are at home with their father, who operates the sawmill
on the Cook ranch. Two of them, Ray, 18, and Bruce, 16, would like to join the
navy, too, while the youngest son, Wayne, 14, has ambitions of becoming an
aviator.
Three of the Patten boys have finished their first
enlistment term of four years and have started on the second. Allen completed
his first "hitch" Jan. 6, 1938; Gilbert Sept. 7, and Marvin, Dec. 21.
Clarence entered the Navy a year ago July 1, and Ted a
few months later.
Mr. Patten is originally from Lake City, and has
lived in this community since August, 1936. All of the boys were born near Lake
City, where their mother died in 1927.. In addition to the eight sons, Mr.
Patten has a daughter who is married and lives near Carroll.
It is thought that Mr. Patten has more sons in the navy
than any other person in the United States..
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The below two clippings are from
unknown newspapers and were found in a scrapbook. |
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The Odebolt Chronicle, Volume 58, Number 10, March 15, 1945
[photo of Ted, Allen Clarence, Marvin and Gilbert Patten]
Floyd Patten, USN, father of the famous Patten family of eight seagoing sons, died Wednesday, March 7, [1945] in a hospital at Seattle, Wash., at the age of 55 years. He had been in the hospital since November.
The body, accompanied by two of his sons, was brought to the former home of the family in Imperial, Neb., for funeral services and burial.
With the exception of one son, Gilbert, who received a medical discharge after 10 years' service and is now in a hospital at Walla Walla, Wash., all of Mr. Patten's sons are in the Navy: Marvin, Clarence, Allen, Ted, Ray, Bruce and Wayne. Besides his eight sons, he leaves a daughter, Mrs. Ernest Sporleder (Martha) of Fonda.
Mr. Pattern, originally of the Lanesboro community, where he was reared, moved later to a farm in Cook township near Odebolt. It was while they were living here that the family attracted nationwide attention, with six sons in the Navy. Two others joined after that time.
Mr. Patten worked in the Bremerton, Wash., navy yards before enlisting in the Navy three years ago.
At War Bond Event
He and his family were guests of honor in Des Moines July 1, 1942, at a war stamp and bond day, designed to show the public that, while every family cannot be a Patten family, there are other ways to serve.
Mr. Patten was married in 1910 to Anna Balotti, who preceded him in death. A daughter, Hazel, died several years ago.
Survivors
Besides his eight sons and daughter above named, he leaves his aged mother, Mrs. Mary Patten, near Lanesboro, one brother, Frank Patten, Redwood Falls, Minn., and three sisters, Mrs. Laura Fowler, Lake City, Mrs. Oscar Rutledge, Des Moines, and Mrs. Carrie Harmon in Nebraska.
Seven of his sons were serving on the Lexington when she was sunk in the Coral sea engagement.
From The Globe Gazette
Iowa Pearl Harbor Veterans
Names of the 417 Iowa Pearl Harbor veterans engraved on the Iowa monument in Des Moines (those known to have been at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked; includes both survivors and deceased. Hometowns were not released by the state Pearl Harbor Survivors Association):
Under "P" - Allen M. Patten, Bruce C. Patten, Clarence F. Patten, Gilbert R. Patten, Marvin K. Patten, Ray H. Patten
This is part of a story that ran on page W11 of the Boston Globe on 5/26/2002.
Seven brothers of the Patten family served together on the USS Nevada shortly before the war began, according to Edwin Finney, a photo curator at the Naval Historical Center. The Patten brothers were joined aboard ship by their father, Clarence F. Patten Sr., who enlisted on Sept. 9, 1941.
(Note: "Clarence F. Patten, Sr." - the "F." is probably for Floyd)
From: North Books web site "Pearl Harbor & Other Memories" - A book written by Al Patten
Al Patten is a retired Navy Chief and Pearl Harbor survivor. He and his brothers were on the battleship USS Nevada during the attack on Pearl Harbor. They were transferred to the aircraft carrier USS Lexington which was sunk in the Battle of the Coral Sea.
He finished WWII on the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. He and his seven brothers served throughout the war on various ships and in many engagements and came through the war without a scratch. Moving to Alaska in 1962, he climbed Mt. McKinley (20,320’, the tallest mountain on the North American continent) in 1969 at age 51.
Allen Patten Dies in Alaska
(Submitted by Dale Sporleder, February, 2004)
Longtime Alaskan Allen Mayo Patten, 87, died February 12, 2004, at Amazing Grace Assisted Living in Anchorage. A military service will be held at the VFW in Eagle River, Friday, February 27, at 3 pm. At Allen's request, his ashes will be scattered over Mt. McKinley.
Allen was born January 6, 1917 in rural Carroll County, Iowa to Clarence Floyd and Anna (Billotte) Patten. The family lived on farms in Carroll County, Iowa, Lamar Nebraska and the Odebolt, Iowa area.
In 1934, Allen joined the Navy and served on the USS Nevada along with his five brothers when the battleship was damaged during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He also served on the USS Lexington with five of his brothers when his aircraft carrier was destroyed in the battle of the Coral Sea in May of 1942. Allen continued serving in the Navy during World War II on several ships including the USS Enterprise that was in several major sea battles including the Battles of the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf. Allen continued his Navy career retiring in 1959 with the rank of Chief Machinist Mate.
In 1955, Allen married Patricia Whittinger and they had two children, Morris Lex and Melinda. In 1962 the family moved to Alaska and settled in Anchorage; here Allen retired from the Civil Service at Elemendorf Air Force Base. In 1969, at age 52, Allen climbed and reached the peak of Mt. McKinley, the highest point in North America. In 2000, he published his autobiography "Pearl Harbor & Other Memories".
Allen's best times were with his family, skiing, hunting, fishing and exploring Alaska's beauty. Preceding him in death were his parents, wife, Patricia, sister, Martha Sporleder; brothers, Gilbert Patten, Marvin Patten, Clarence Patten (Bick), Ray Patten (Bub) and sister Hazel in infancy.
Survivors include his son Lex Patten and his wife Karen, Allen's daughter Melinda Brody; brothers Myrne Patten (Ted) of Lake City Iowa, Bruce Patten of Battle Ground Washington and Wayne Patten of Henderson Nevada. Allen is also survived by four grandchildren, Brandan Brody, Zoe Ingram-Patten, Tori Ingram-Patten and Lexi Patten.
October 19, 2006 - from www.odebolt.net
One of Odebolt's Patten Brothers Honored Recently
On October 13th Bruce Patten, age 83, was honored for his service in the United States Navy during WWII at Free Enterprise Days (FED) in downtown Minneapolis along with one Air Force and three Army honorees. Free Enterprise is an association of small businesses in the Minneapolis area.
A presentation of highlights of Mr. Patten's Navy career was given along with photos on a large screen. Dale Sporleder, Bruce's nephew said that Bruce stood tall, even at 83, but became a little emotional, wiping tears away toward the end of the presentation. The crowd honored him with a standing ovation, followed by a standing ovation for all the honorees.
The Patten family was living on a farm in Cook township near Odebolt when they attracted nation-wide attention for having six sons in the Navy. Two more sons and the father, Floyd Patten, joined later on, making a total of 9 members from the same family to serve at once in the U.S. Navy. Bruce was the seventh brother of the Patten family to join.
Bruce and five of his brothers survived the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7th, 1941 aboard the Nevada. Later, the brothers were aboard the Lexington, which was attacked in the Battle of the Coral Sea, and were rescued after they had to abandon ship. Bruce served on other vessels throughout the war and was serving on the Wren in Tokyo Bay, which was situated only 300 yards away from the ceremony in which Japan negotiated their surrender, September 2nd, 1945. Thus Pearl Harbor and Tokyo Bay were bookends of World War II for both the United States and Bruce Patten.
Youngest Patten Brother Passes Away October 30, 2018
Wayne Henry Patten (1925-2018)
Wayne Henry Patten was born July 1, 1925 to Clarence Floyd, (“Floyd”) and Anna
(Billotte) Patten in rural Lamar, Nebraska, which is located near the Kansas and
Colorado borders. He joined his sister Martha and seven brothers; Gilbert
Russell (“Gil”), Marvin Kenneth (“Marv”), Clarence Floyd, II (“Bick”), Allen
Mayo (“Al”), Myrne Roosevelt (“Ted”), Ray Hart (“Bub”), and Bruce Calvin. With
the unexpected death of their mother in the autumn of 1927, the family returned
to Iowa living on a farm near Wayne’s grandparent, Albert and Mary Patten in
Jasper Township, Carroll County, Iowa. The nearest towns were Lanesboro and Lake
City. They attended Elk Run Country School and Freeman Country School.
Wayne married Margaret Jensen on September 9, 1949 and to their marriage were
born daughters Leslie and Linda.
Wayne died October 30, 2018 and is survived by his wife Margaret, two daughters,
Leslie and Linda, and grandchildren Jacobs, Amyne Nicole, Lindsay, and Nolan.
Wayne was the last surviving Patten brother and celebrated his 93rd birthday on
the first day of July 2018 in Vancouver, Washington. He was preceded in death by
his parents, his sisters Martha Sporleder and Hazel Rose and his brothers.
In the fall of 1934, Gil, Marv, and Al joined the Navy and Bick joined the Army.
In the fall of 1936, their father purchased a sawmill and Ted, Bub, Bruce and
Wayne moved to Cook Township, Sac City, Iowa near Odebolt. Floyd and the boys
operated the sawmill on and near the Cook Ranch. While there, Ted and Bub joined
the Navy. After Bick’s tour of duty with the Army was fulfilled, he also joined
the Navy.
Wayne’s six brothers were assigned to the battleship Nevada (BB-36). In May
1940, Floyd, Bruce and Wayne relocated to Ridgefield, Washington. In December
1940, Bruce joined the Navy and his brothers on the Nevada. In September 1941,
the Navy waived its age restriction allowing Wayne’s father Floyd to join the
Navy at age 52.
On December 7th, 1941 six Patten brothers; Gil, Marv, Bick, Al, Bub, and Bruce
were aboard the Nevada when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. All six brothers
survived the attack and were transferred to the aircraft carrier Lexington
(CV-2) in December, 1941. They survived the aircraft carrier’s destruction in
the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942.
On June 25th 1942, Wayne, joined the Navy in Portland, Oregon, with his father
and all his brothers present. Prior to Wayne’s official enlistment, the Patten
family marched in a parade promoting Navy recruitment with each carrying a sign
with their name. Wayne was the ninth in line with his sign inscribed “Wayne,
Patten Pending.”
The whole Patten Navy family then went on a two month long national tour to
promote the sale of war bonds before being reassigned to sea duty. Wayne was
assigned to the aircraft carrier Altamaha (CVE-18) after he finished “boot camp”
(recruit training) along with his brothers, Gil, Al and Bub.
From October 1942 to August 1943, the Altamaha supported the opposition to
Germany’s Operation Orient by delivered equipment, supplies and material to
protect the China-Burma-India Theater to prevent the Axis powers from joining
forces by way of the Middle East and India. Operation Orient was the code name
given to the maneuver that envisioned Nazi Germany linking up with the Empire of
Japan mainly through the Middle East. It envisioned Germany securing the Middle
East and its oil fields and linking up with Japanese forces after the expected
fall of the Soviet Union.
Wayne later served on the aircraft carrier Natoma Bay (CVE-62). On January 10th,
1944, the Natoma Bay sailed from San Diego for Pearl Harbor to join the Command
Carrier Division 24, 5th Amphibious Force. On the 23rd, she was a part of Task
Group 51.2 for the Marshall Islands invasion, which was instrumental in the main
military strategy referred to as “island-hopping” or “leapfrogging” by General
Douglas MacArthur. American forces by-passed certain Japanese island
strongholds, such as Rabaul, and left the Japanese personnel isolated because of
the inability of the Japanese Navy to re-supply them. By selecting lesser
defended island necessary for the ultimate defeat of Japan, the U.S. was able to
minimize causalities.
Wayne and the Natoma Bay then traveled north of the Solomon’s and New Ireland
where she provided air cover for convoys to and from Emirau Island where an air
and small naval base was established. During the next three weeks, the Natoma
Bay remained in the Solomon’s-Bismarck Archipelago vicinity to support the
extensive and prolonged offensive to neutralize this region and blockade the
Japanese fortress at Rabaul. At the end of the war, Wayne was an Aviation
Machinist Mate stationed on Guam and Iwo Jima working on aircraft.
Wayne was discharged after the war and joined the Merchant Marines. Later, he
lived in the Vancouver, Washington where he worked for a railroad and in
retirement in Las Vegas for a time before returning to Vancouver.
Patten Brothers Remembered
after 62 Years
Patten Family Photo
Dec.7th, 1941 Was a Day of Infamy for Iowa’s
Six Patten Brothers
