Arthur C. Weber, USAF Retired left us on March 11, 2013 at the age of 94. His wife Dora of 54 years had already passed in 1996. Arthur is survived by his four children, John Weber of Massachusetts, retired; Barbara Casey of Florida, retired;Patti Smith o fSouth Carolina, retired; and Arthur C. Weber, Jr. of Tennessee, retired USAF Colonel. Arthur's four children gave him 9 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

Arthur joined the Navy on September 1, 1938. He did his boot training at Great Lakes. In December of 1938 he was assigned to duty aboard the Cruiser USS New Orleans. He soon made S2/c and was assigned to the Bake Shop. Soon after entering the Bake Shop, the Cruiser Division 6 was transferred to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. While in the Bake Shop, he made S1/c and on May 10, 1940, was transferred to Cruiser Division 6 Flagship, the USS Minneapolis. He received regular promotions and in November 1941 made Petty Officer 1st Class. His wife Dora was due to join him at Pearl Harbor on December 12, 1941, but that never happened.

While aboard the Minneapolis, the Division 6 Fleet was involved in several major battles--one on February 20, 1942, the Battle of Bougainville; March 21, 1942, the Battle of Midway, where his ship picked up 750 survivors of the sinking of the USS Lexington. Then on May 6-8, 1942, the Battle of the Coral Sea, july 3, 1942 the Battle and occupation of Guadalcanal, Tulagi and the Solomon Islands. From September 14 -21, 1942, they participated in the expedition for reinforcements of Guadalcanal. On November 30, 1942 in the Battle of Tassaferanga off Guadalcanal, they were hit with three torpedoes and beached their ship on the Beach of Tulagi Island. They lost their bow and the #1 turret. The New Orleans and the Pensacola were hit and the North Hampton was sunk. They went back to Pearl Harbor for repairs and Arthur was sent to CPO school. H went back to the South Pacific, and in February 1945 served in Philippine waters. Then on April 1, 1945 he participated in the initial landing on Okinawa, Shima and Ryuki Islands, Japan. He was discharged on October 17, 1945 after service seven and a half years.

In June, 1948 he enlisted in the Air Force as a S/Sergeant at what is now Edwards Air Force Base. While there he made Tech/Sgt. He was there until December 1951 and was sent to Kimpo Air Force Base as Food Service Supervisor and made M/Sgt in June 1952. Next Arthur was sent to Moody AFB in December 1952. In 1957 he was transferred to Incherlich AFB, Turkey. His next assignment was Whiteman AFB in Missouri in 1961. He made SM/Sgt in 1963 and was sent to Westover AFB in Massachusetts. While there, he spent one year in Thule, Greenland and retired on June 1, 1967 after serving 19 years, for a total of 26 1/2 years in the military.

Arthur now has joined his Dora of 54 years. They are together at the National Military Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.