On-The-Roof Gang
Class #12
Class #12 convened in December 1933 and finished in April 1934. Chief Radioman Harry Kidder was the instructor.
Private Harry L. Butler, Jr.
Harry Butler graduated from OTRG Class #12 and was assigned to the American Legation in Peiping, China. He performed RI duties there through Jul 1935 before he returned to general service radioman duties in the USMC.
Harry Butler in 1933 and in Shanghai, China, circa 1937
Butler was identified at the following locations on the OP-20-G Annual Reports of Radio Intelligence Personnel:
06 Jan 1934: Under instruction in Washington, DC
17 Jan 1935: Peiping, China
13 Jan 1936: Peiping, China (not performing radio intelligence duty)
06 Jan 1937: En route U.S.
12 Jan 1938: Mare Island, CA (not performing radio intelligence duty)
09 Jan 1939: Marine Corp Reserve
Private Harold Vincent “Poochie” Jones
Private Jones graduated from Class #12 and was assigned to the American Legation in Peiping, China. After he transferred to Station ABLE in Shanghai, he shipped over to the US Navy in order to continue a career in radio intelligence. He was assigned to Station HYPO in Hawaii and transferred to Station CAST on Corregidor Island, Philippines in 1941. He was listed in the second group of evacuees from Corregidor Island on board USS Permit in February 1942. He eventually earned advancement to Chief Warrant Officer and retired after the war.
Photos of Harold “Poochie” Jones as a young Marine in 1937 and later in his career as a Sailor.
Jones was identified at the following locations on the OP-20-G Annual Reports of Radio Intelligence Personnel:
06 Jan 1934: Washington, DC (under instruction)
17 Jan 1935: Peiping, China
13 Jan 1936: Shanghai, China
06 Jan 1937: Shanghai, China
12 Jan 1938: Shanghai, China
09 Jan 1939: San Diego (not performing radio intelligence duties)
14 Feb 1940: 14th Naval District
24 Feb 1941: 14th Naval District
Poochie Jones’ obituary was published in the NCVA’s Cryptolog magazine, Volume 14, Summer 1993, page 19:
Harold Vincent Jones, Chief Warrant Officer (CWO3), U.S. Navy, Retired, OTRG, NCVA, died in California on 7 March 1993 at the age of 84. He was born 7 April 1908 in Bell City, Missouri and began his military career in the U.S. Marine Corps. He enlisted in November 1928 and served in the Marines until May 1939, when he enlisted in the Navy.
In 1933, while still a Marine, he attended and graduated from "On-The-Roof" training in Washington D.C. with OTRG Class #12.
His various duty stations, both Marine and Navy included: Peiping and Shanghai, China; USS AUGUSTA; Heeia and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; the Philip- pines; Melbourne, Australia; and Washington, D.C. Serving on Corregidor at the start of World War 11, he was evacuated by submarine in the second group out on 16 March 1942. He was advanced to chief radioman on 1 March 1944 and promoted to Chief Warrant Officer (W-2) on 15 February 1951. He retired from the Navy as a Chief Warrant Officer (CWO3) in 1959 after 31 years of active service.
Chief Warrant Officer Jones' honors included: A Distinguished Service Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster; Navy Commendation; Nicaraguan Campaign; China Service; Philippine Defense; American Defense; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign; World War II Victory; and National Defense medals.
He is survived by his wife, Rose A. Bryant Jones, whom he married in Australia on 10 June 1944.
Another obituary was published in the Napa Valley Register on 11 March 1993
Pertinent data:
Born: 7 April 1908
Location: Missouri
Died: 7 March 1993
Location: Napa, California
Interment Location: Napa Valley Memorial Park, Napa California
Private Joseph Anthony “Pete” Petrosky, Jr.
Private Petrosky attended OTRG Class #12 and was assigned to the American Legation in Peiping, China. He transferred to Station ABLE in Shanghai and then returned to general service communications duty within the USMC. He returned to cryptologic duties during the war, serving in Hawaii and Guadalcanal before retiring at a USMC Lieutenant Colonel.
Photo of Joseph Petrosky taken on the roof of HQ FOURTH Marines, Shanghai, China in 1937
Petrosky was identified at the following locations on the OP-20-G Annual Reports of Radio Intelligence Personnel:
06 Jan 1934: Washington, DC (under instruction)
17 Jan 1935: Peiping, China
13 Jan 1936: Shanghai. China
06 Jan 1937: Shanghai, China
12 Jan 1938: San Diego, California (not performing radio intelligence duties)
09 Jan 1939: San Diego, California (not performing radio intelligence duties)
Pertinent data:
Born: 9 December 1913
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Died: 12 June 1982
Location: San Diego, California
Location: Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California
Private Norman F. Robertson
Private Robertson attended OTRG Class #12 and assigned to the American Legation in Peiping, China. After a single assignment as an intercept operator, he transferred back to general service communications duty in the USMC.
Robertson was identified at the following locations on the OP-20-G Annual Reports of Radio Intelligence Personnel:
6 Jan 1934: Washington, DC (under instruction)
17 Jan 1935: Peiping, China
13 Jan 1936: Peiping, China
6 Jan 1937: En route U.S.
Pertinent data:
Born: 1912
Location: Illinois
Died: 4 July 1983
Location: California