F1c Andrew K. Allison

Brothers Andrew K. Allison and John T. Allison died on the U.S.S. Arizona in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941.

They were born in Savannah, Tennessee about 110 miles east of Memphis — Andrew on Aug. 16, 1915 and John on Nov. 29, 1920. Their father Arthur, a farmer, was born there, too. Their mother, Icy or Icey Bain, was born in the same county.

By early 1930 the family lived in Trenton, Tennessee and were still there by April 1935. By October 1939 the family was 60 miles west across the Mississippi River in Steele, Missouri and by April 1940 in nearby Holland township.

When Andrew applied to the Navy in the summer of 1935 he said he’d completed high school and worked off and on for a farmer. He enlisted on Feb. 12, 1936 and reported for duty aboard the U.S.S. Arizona on June 17, 1936. 

When John applied to the Navy in the fall of 1939 he said he’d completed high school and was a farmer. His last two years were at the high school in Holland, Missouri. He enlisted on Dec. 5, 1939.

In a letter John wrote home five weeks before the attack he said: “…although I denied it to the last, I really hated to come back this time from leave, just had a funny feeling, or maybe not so funny.”

Both brothers held the rank of fireman first class when they were killed.

Their mother received official notice of their death a few hours before the death of her father, John T. Bain, in the early hours of Dec. 26, 1941.

A memorial service for the brothers was held at First Baptist Church in Campbell, Missouri in February 1942.

Sources: The Democrat-Argus of Caruthersville, Missouri; The Savannah (Tennessee) Courier; birth and death records; marriage license; U.S. Department of Defense; Census records; WWII draft registration card; Bonhams auction house; Navy enlistment records. This profile was researched and written on behalf of the U.S.S. Arizona Mall Memorial at the University of Arizona and Operation 85.