O'Dell

Paul Fredrick O'Dell

Paul Fredrick O'Dell was born January 2, 1906 in Joplin, Missouri to parents John Lafayette Odell (1872 – 1913) and Mary Etta "Mamie" Fitzgerald Kelin (1877 – 1955). Paul was the third of five children. Second oldest brother, Howard H. Odell, born in February of 1903, died at age six months on July 14, 1903. The family lived on Park View Avenue in Joplin City, MO.

Oldest brother, James Gillespie O'Dell (1897 – 1970) had joined the Navy and was Chief Gunner's Mate when Paul joined the Navy. There is a family photo of the two together, though it is obvious that the uniform Paul is wearing is his brothers since the uniform has a WW I area of service chevron on the left arm and Paul wasn't in the navy until 1927.

Two younger brothers were Garland Wilbur O'Dell Sr. (1909 – 1982) and Charles Clinton O'Dell (1913 – 1981).

Father, John, is listed as an Engineer in the 1910 U.S. Census but what kind isn't clearly written. It appears to say "Stationary Engineer". He may have worked in a power plant or major building or hospital on any variety of equipment. John died in 1913 at age 41.

With the passing of John O'Dell and the family income, the family moved into lodgings at 724 Moffet Avenue in Joplin City. Oldest brother James is now working as an automotive electrician and on battery systems. His wife, Florence, mother Mary Etta and three remaining brothers are all listed as roomers in the 1920 census at the same address. Paul is 14 years old and he has dropped out of school and is working as a laborer, actually he is specifically a grease monkey, maybe at the shop where his older brother is employed.

At some point in this scenario James joins the Navy and by 1927 has been promoted to Chief Gunner's Mate. Little more about his service is known.

On August 3, 1927 a 21 year old Paul enlists in the Navy. After boot camp Paul is sent to the battleship USS Tennessee (BB-43) for duty with the ship in the Pacific. The Tennessee was home ported out of San Pedro, California. It isn't known if he had decided to become a Radioman at this time or not.

After a year or so he is transferred to the submarine tender Argonne (AS-10) which operated out of San Diego, California. This maybe is where Paul gets his first taste of submarine life because by 1929 he has been transferred to the S-43 (SS-154).

It isn't known if he attended submarine school or not since the S-43 was a Pacific coast submarine operating out of San Diego. Paul was aboard for exercises and fleet problems off southern California that were followed by summer operations in Hawaiian waters and autumn patrols and exercises off Mexico. In December of 1930 the S-43 and Paul were reassigned to Pearl Harbor where he remained until 1932.

Paul transferred to the S-1 (SS-105), that was also stationed at Pearl Harbor in 1932. In August of 1933 the S-1 was transferred to Philadelphia for decommissioning. Paul was transferred to the S-36 (SS-141) that was at that time operating in the western Pacific, conducting exercises and patrols and undergoing overhauls in the Philippines during the winter and operating off the China coast, out of Tsingtao, during the summer months.

Information says that he was stationed at Cavite in the Philippines during 1934 and 1935 but not if he was attached to a submarine or not. On the 25th of May 1935 Paul reenlisted at Cavite. By 1936 we find him aboard the Bass (SS-164) that was conducting cruises along the west coast of the United States, in the Canal Zone, and in the Hawaiian Islands until January 1937 when she was ordered to Philadelphia for decommissioning. He married Dorothy Viola Summers in 1937 and they remained married to the end.

He was subsequently transferred to the Pickerel (SS-177) that had been conducting training exercises along the U.S. Pacific Coast before being transferred to the Philippines in anticipation of possible hostilities that that area.

He reported aboard the Porpoise (SS-172) on December 5, 1938. By 1939 he has become a Radioman 2nd class while she was undergoing an extensive overhaul at Mare Island Navy Yard. Here he extended his enlistment by three years. He must have been unhappy in the yard and was on the go again. This time aboard the USS Chaumont (AP-5)] heading back to Asiatic Station. The Chaumont was more or less operating as a ferry moving military and VIPs around the Pacific.

Upon reaching Asiatic Station he was attached to the S-41 (SS-146) on September 2, 1939, which was conducting operations along the China coast, the Philippines and in the East Indies. He was promoted to Radioman 1st class in October 1939. In December of 1939 he became ill and was transferred to the U.S. Naval Hospital at Canacao, Philippines for treatment.

He was transferred, again, in August 1940. This time to the submarine tender Canopus (AS-9). By December 1940 he is aboard the Permit (SS-178) but once again he transferred to the U.S. Naval Hospital at Canacao, Philippines for treatment of an undisclosed illness.

In June of 1941 the status of Paul's health initiated a transfer to the Naval Hospital at Mare Island, CA. He takes passage on the Navy transport USS Henderson (AP-1) headed for Guam, then Pearl Harbor, and finally to Mare Island. Something is seriously wrong but we don't know what it is. The recurring and lingering nature of the illness and the fact that he first contracted it in the Philippines gives credence to the theory that we was suffering from malaria. Treatments for the disease in 1940-41 did not always result in an immediate cure, and symptoms could linger for months or years and relapses were common.

August 22, 1941 has Paul in the U.S. Naval Hospital at Mare Island and being released to the Navy Receiving Ship at San Francisco where in October 1941 he was put aboard the aircraft carrier Lexington (CV-2) for a trip from San Francisco to San Diego. In San Diego he was assigned to the old destroyer Chew (DD-106) for transportation to Pearl Harbor. He was to remain aboard the Chew for the next year.

In March 1942 he was promoted to Chief Radioman (Acting) while aboard the Chew so he must have still been able to operate in rate and pass testing to satisfy the Navy. In June of 1942 he went back to the hospital for more treatment for his mysterious illness and then again in December he is again at the U.S. Naval Hospital at Pearl Harbor. Finally on January 15, 1943 he is transferred back to the Chew from the Hospital at Pearl Harbor.

In mid 1943 he received orders to a new construction submarine at the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, the USS Dorado (SS-248). The Dorado was commissioned on August 28, 1943 and Paul was a plankowner. Paul F. O'Dell met his fate along with all of his shipmates when Dorado disappeared in the Caribbean enroute to the Panama Canal in October 1943.

Paul Fredrick O'Dell was 37 years of age when Dorado was lost. Widow Dorothy O'Dell is believed to have died in 1975. It is much harder to trace women due to name changes. We can find no mention of children.

Page created by:
Ric Hedman & David Johnston
1999 - 2023 - PigBoats.COM^©
Mountlake Terrace, WA, Norfolk, VA
webmaster at pigboats dot com