S1c Robert Leo Jr. Pritchett

Robert Leo Pritchett Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1921 in New Orleans, Louisiana. His father was a truck driver and his mother, Rose Arceneaux Pritchett, a homemaker.  The couple had seven children.

By the time of the spring 1940 Census Robert Jr. had completed two years of high school but was no longer enrolled. He worked as a waiter for 52 weeks in 1939 and earned $312. His father was still driving trucks and his mother worked as a “check girl” at a charity hospital.

The son enlisted in the Navy on Aug. 10, 1940. He was a seaman first class on the U.S.S. Arizona when he was killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941.

At least two brothers also served in the armed forces — Paul in the Navy during World War II from April 1944 to May 1946 and Milton in the Marines during the Korean War.

Sources: U.S. Veterans Administration; Census; Navy muster roll; grave markers. This profile was researched and written on behalf of the U.S.S. Arizona Mall Memorial at the University of Arizona.