On-The-Roof Gang
Class #22
Class #22 convened in April 1939 and completed in August 1939. Chief Radioman Daryl Wigle was the instructor
Radioman Third Class Edward James “Eddie” Dullard
Eddie Dullard graduated from On-the-Roof Gang Class #22 in August 1939 and was assigned to Station BAKER in Guam. He was in Guam when the Japanese attacked on 8 December 1941 and was taken as a POW. He spent the entirety of the war in POW camp in Japan.
Dullard was identified at the following locations on the OP-20-G Annual Reports of Radio Intelligence Personnel:
14 Feb 1940: Guam, M.I.
24 Feb 1941: Guam, M.I.
You can read about the Eddie Dullard and the rest of the OTRG POWs in On-the-Roof Gang, Volume 2 – War in the Pacific.
Jimmy Pearson, from On-the-Roof Gang Class #4, wrote the obituary for Eddie Dullard, which was published in the NCVA’s Cryptolog magazine, Volume 06, Winter 1985, page 24:
DULLARD, Edward J, OTRG, NCVA, died 18 November 1984 at the age of 70. Dullard began his NCVA career as a member of the OTRG class #22 in mid-1939. He arrived in Guam in December 1939 for communications duty with the NSG activity at the U.S. Naval Radio Station, Libugon Hill.
Upon capture of the island by Japanese military forces in the week of 8 December 1941, Eddie Dullard, along with his NSG shipmates became a POW. Eddie was an A-1 intercept operator as well as a diligent and industrious analyst. He set an example of excellence in deportment for his fellow man throughout his life. Uppermost in his mind was 'thoughtful consideration of others'.
As an NSG careerist he served NSG with loyalty and proficiency. During time spent as a POW he served his country with valor.
As CRM-in-Charge of the U.S. Naval Radio Station, Libugon Hill, Guam, from December 1939 to October 1941, I knew Eddie Dullard "up close".
Pertinent data:
Born: 8 July 1915
Location: Independence, Iowa
Died: 18 November 1984
Location: Ormond Beach, Florida
Internment Location: Volusia Memorial Park, Ormond Beach, Florida
Radioman Third Class William W. “Bill” Eaton
Bill Eaton graduated from On-the-Roof Gang Class #22 in August 1939 and was assigned to Station CAST, Philippines. In 1941, he transferred to Station HYPO in Hawaii. From there, he deployed aboard multiple Radio Intelligence Units (RIUs) providing cryptologic direct support to Task Force commanders. He was on the very first of these RIUs on board USS YORKTOWN for temporary duty as early as February 1942.
Eaton was identified at the following locations on the OP-20-G Annual Reports of Radio Intelligence Personnel:
14 Feb 1940: Station CAST, P. I.
24 Feb 1941: 14 ND, Hawaii
You can read about Bill Eaton and other RIU teams in On-the-Roof Gang, Volume 2 – War in the Pacific.
Pertinent data:
Born: 17 September 1917
Died: 8 July 1990
Internment Location: Eagle Point National Cemetery, Eagle Point, Oregon
Radioman Second Class Robert Reid “Bob” Ellis
Bob Ellis graduated from On-the-Roof Gang Class #22 in August 1939 and was assigned to Station BAKER in Guam. He was in Guam when the Japanese attacked on 8 December 1941 and was taken as a POW. He spent the entirety of the war in POW camp in Japan. He remained on active duty after the war and retired as a Lieutenant Commander.
Ellis was identified at the following locations on the OP-20-G Annual Reports of Radio Intelligence Personnel:
14 Feb 1940: Guam, M.I.
24 Feb 1941: Guam, M.I.
You can read about the Bob Ellis and the rest of the OTRG POWs in On-the-Roof Gang, Volume 2 – War in the Pacific.
Bob Ellis’ obituary was published in the Baxter Bulletin (Mountain Home, Arkansas) on 6 Aug 1970
Pertinent data:
Born: 16 December 1916
Location: Bradsville, Missouri
Died: 4 August 1990
Internment Location: Springfield National Cemetery, Springfield, Missouri
Radioman Second Class Stuart Thomas “Stu” Faulkner
Stu Faulkner graduated from On-the-Roof Gang Class #22 in August 1939 and was assigned to Station BAKER in Guam. He was in Guam when the Japanese attacked on 8 December 1941 and was taken as a POW. He spent the entirety of the war in POW camp in Japan. After the war, he was commissioned and continued to serve in a variety of positions with the Naval Security Group (see obituary below). He retired from active duty in July 1971 as a Commander.
Stu Faulkner as a young Sailor before the war, as a LTjg, and towards the end of his career. All photos are undated.
Faulkner was identified at the following locations on the OP-20-G Annual Reports of Radio Intelligence Personnel:
14 Feb 1940: Guam, M.I.
24 Feb 1941: Guam, M.I.
You can read about the Stu Faulkner and the rest of the OTRG POWs in On-the-Roof Gang, Volume 2 – War in the Pacific.
Stu Faulkner’s obituary was published in the NCVA’s Cryptolog magazine, Volume 14, Summer 1993, page 19:
STUART T. FAULKNER
Stuart T. Faulkner, Commander, U.S. Navy, Retired, OTRG, NCVA, died 15 April 1993 at the age of 75. A native of San Diego, California, he was born 15 February 1918 and joined the Navy 13 March 1936. From 1936 to 1939 he served in the Pacific Fleet in USS CHICAGO and USS HOUSTON before being sent to Washington, DC for Japanese Morse code training "On-the-Roof" of the Main Navy Building. He graduated with OTRG Class number 22.
After OTRG training, he was sent to Guam for duty and was there when the island fell to the Japanese during WWII; he spent the period from December 1941 to September 1945 as a prisoner-of-war. After his release, he was commissioned in 1946 and served on active duty in Washington, D.C.; Bainbridge Island, Washington; with the Armed Forces Security Agency, Arlington Hall Station, Virginia; Bremerhaven, Germany (1953-55) [including a six month afloat assignment with the Sixth Fleet]; Norfolk, Virginia (1955- 57) [including afloat duty with the Second Fleet]; Kamiseya, Japan (1957-60) [as Operations Officer]; Fort George G. Meade, Maryland (1960-63); Winter Harbor, Maine (1963-66) [Commanding Officer]; Washington, DC (1966-69) [Executive Officer, Naval -. Security Station]; and San Diego, California as the Naval Security Group officer on the Staff, Commandant, Eleventh Naval District (1969-71). He retired from active duty in July 1971with a total of 35 years of active Naval service.
After retirement from the Navy, Commander Faulkner was employed as Supervisor of Felony Arraignment Court in San Diego.
In 1983, it was under his impetus that the NCVA reunion was held in San Diego that year; although originally designated as the Host, illness forced him to withdraw from that position, but he continued to provide valuable guidance that resulted in a very successful reunion being held.
He is survived by his wife, Fran, two sons and a daughter, two grandchildren and a great grandchild.
Memorial services were held 23 April at Rosecrans National Cemetery.
Pertinent data:
Born: 15 February 1918
Location: Los Angeles, California
Died: 15 April 1993
Location: San Diego, California
Internment Location: Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California
Radioman Second Class Arthur Lilburn “A L” Monroe, Jr.
A L Monroe graduated from On-the-Roof Gang Class #22 in August 1939 and was assigned to Station CAST in the Philippines. He was on Corregidor Island at the outset of the war and was listed in the first group of evacuees from Corregidor Island on USS Seadragon in February 1942. He continued his service at the intercept station in Moorabbin, Australia and earned a commission. He transferred to Adak, Alaska and retired at the end of the war as a Lieutenant Junior Grade.
A L Monroe on Corregidor Island in 1941 and in an undated photo
Monroe was identified at the following locations on the OP-20-G Annual Reports of Radio Intelligence Personnel:
14 Feb 1940: 16th Naval District
24 Feb 1941: Asiatic Station
All official US Navy records list Monroe with initials only. His official name in the Navy was A L Monroe. However, family histories reveal that he was named after his father Arthur Lilburn Monroe.
A L Monroe’s death was announced in the NCVA’s Cryptolog magazine, Volume 12, Fall 1990, page 20.
Pertinent data:
Born: 8 June 1917
Location: Wright City, Oklahoma
Died: 16 June 1990
Location: North Little Rock, Arkansas
Internment Location: Little Rock National Cemetery, Little Rock, Arkansas
Radioman Third Class Hubert Aiken “Hugo” Price
Hugo Price graduated from On-the-Roof Gang Class #22 in August 1939 and was assigned to Station CAST in the Philippines. He was on Corregidor Island at the outset of the war and was listed in the second group of evacuees from Corregidor Island on USS Permit in March 1942. He continued his service at the intercept station in Moorabbin, Australia and retired after the war as a Chief Petty Officer.
Hugo Price on Corregidor Island, circa 1941
Price was identified at the following locations on the OP-20-G Annual Reports of Radio Intelligence Personnel:
14 Feb 1940: 16th Naval District
24 Feb 1941: Asiatic Station
Hugo Price’s obituary was published in the NCVA’s Cryptolog magazine, Volume 20, Fall 1999, page 17:
HUBERT A PRICE
The October issue of the Fleet Reserve Association magazine reports the passing of NCVA member Hubert A. Price. Mr. Price was an original member of the "On- the-Roof' Gang (OTRG) and was born on 9 August 1914 in Anderson, South Carolina. He joined the Navy in 1937 and from that year until November 1939 he was attached to Commander Destroyers, Battle Force (Flag Allowance). On 25 April 1939 he was transferred to Washington, D.C. where he learned code on the roof of the Old Navy Building on Constitution Avenue. From January 1940 until February 1943 he was assigned to Cavite, Corregidor and Australia. On Corregidor he was a member of the Beach Defense Force. In 1943 he was transferred to Bainbridge Island, Washington. Later duty stations included Adak, Wahiawa, and a second tour at Bainbridge Island. For six months in 1948 he deployed on USS HUNTINGTON, USS FARGO and USS ALBANY for a Mediterranean cruise with Captain Hal Joslin, after which he was stationed at Naval Security Group Headquarters from 1949 until 1952.
From 1952 until 1954 he was assigned to Yokosuka and Kami Seya, Japan. His last tour was at Wahiawa in 1954- 55. He retired in 1955 as a CTC. His nickname "Hugo" was given to him by a boatswain mate when he was in the deck force on the USS TWIGGS in 1936 and this nickname followed him throughout his naval and civilian career. After retirement from the Navy he worked for the National Security Agency until 1969 when he retired.
Hugo Price forwarded to the NCVA Archives a cartoon drawn on Corregidor in 1942 by shipmate Jimmy Capron (OTRG) of two very ragged sailors listening to the short wave radio. A round iron pipe is an "air raid shelter." The radio says "....and by 1963 we will dispatch to the Philippines (squawk) approximately 3000 anti-tank guns, 12,000 rifles and (interference) planes plus 40,000 personnel." This cartoon has been framed and hung in the Wenger Naval Security Group Command display case.
The Greenville News (Greenville, South Carolina) also printed an obituary on 14 August 1999
Pertinent data:
Born: 9 August 1914
Location: Anderson, South Carolina
Died: 12 August 1999
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Internment Location: Greenwood Memorial Gardens, Hodges, South Carolina
Radioman Third Class Charles Gaston “Charlie” Quinn
Charlie Quinn graduated from On-the-Roof Gang Class #22 in August 1939 and was assigned to Station CAST in the Philippines. He was on Corregidor Island at the outset of the war and was listed in the second group of evacuees from Corregidor Island on USS Permit in March 1942.
Charlie Quinn on Corregidor Island, circa 1941
Quinn was identified at the following locations on the OP-20-G Annual Reports of Radio Intelligence Personnel:
14 Feb 1940: 16th Naval District
24 Feb 1941: Asiatic Station
Charlie Quinn’s death was reported in the NCVA’s Cryptolog magazine, Volume 14, Winter 1993, page 22.
Pertinent data:
Born: 10 November 1919
Location: Pratt, Alabama
Died: 14 August 1993
Location: Clanton, Alabama
Radioman Second Class David Whitney “Dave” Snyder
Dave Snyder graduated from On-the-Roof Gang Class #22 in August 1939 and was assigned to Station BAKER in Guam. In 1941, he transferred to Station CAST in the Philippines. He was on Corregidor Island at the outset of the war and was listed in the first group of evacuees from Corregidor Island on USS Seadragon in February 1942. He continued his service during the war at Moorabbin, Australia and eventually retired as a CWO4.
Dave Snyder on Corregidor Island, circa 1941
Snyder was identified at the following locations on the OP-20-G Annual Reports of Radio Intelligence Personnel:
14 Feb 1940: Guam, M.I.
24 Feb 1941: Asiatic Station
David Snyder’s death was reported in the NCVA’s Cryptolog magazine, Volume 22.
Pertinent data:
Born: 26 October 1912
Location: Conway Springs, Kansas
Died: 19 December 2000
Location: Reeds, Missouri
Internment Location: Stone Cemetery, Fidelity, Missouri
