Joe McGrogan BT1 on board from 53 to 56

Joe at after gun mount 1955

Sgt. Joe McGrogan & Satan, Montgomery County , Md. Police Dept, canine section

Petty Officer McGrogan                       1955

BTFN McGrogan 1953

Joe'sPolice Dog Partner, A tribute return to CREWS QUARTERS QUARTERDECK LINKS PAGE

Joe McGrogan and Howard Austin  waiting for liberty call in 1956

Joe at Boot Camp 1952

Raised in Pittsburgh, Pa. area. Enlisted in the navy in 1952 at old post office in Pitts. Sent to GLNTC Ill. for boot camp May to Aug. 1952 in training Co.#218. Went aboard USS Seirra AD 18 at Norfolk,,Va. Assigned to after fireroom Where I worked until transferred to USS New DDE 818 in 1953. 1953-FN, 1954 BT3, 1955-BT2, 1956 BT1. I worked in after fireroom until my separation in May 1956. I went back to Pittsburgh and worked for the Bell Telephone company  for 3 years in outside construction. In 1959 I was assigned to the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Dept and moved my family there. I served on the department for 32 years, the last 22 years as canine handler and training officer. The last 10 years as officer in charge. My wife and I retired in 1991 and moved to the West coast of Florida.

Joe and Shirly married May 1st 1954. We had 4 children. Dave is the oldest born in the Portsmouth VA. Naval Hospital in Jan.55. We had two more boys, Gary born in 56 died in 82 Kevin was born in 56 died in 67. A daughter Cindy was born in MD in 1960 and now is living in Naples FL.                      Dave and family below at home in Maryland June 02 below

Great grandsons Xavier and Joe 6-02

Oldest grandson Mark 6-02

Grandaughter Caitlin 6-02

Grandson Sean 6-02

Grandaughter Shannon and her boys

Grandkids and great grandkids

Cal Ripkin better look out for these sluggers

The summer, 2004, Joe and his wife vacationed in "Paradise" as the locals like to call Hawaii. While there Joe visited the Arizona memorial, The Utah memorial and the USS Missourri which is moored at Ford Island near the Arizona Memorial. The Memorials are a most solemn place. Any sailor that has served on a ship will feel something at these memorials that others cannot. These men that died there and still rest there are us. God Keep Them in Peace

The Utah Memorial is on the opposite side of the small Ford Island than the Arizona. Ford Island is a small island in the middle of Pearl Harbor. It was the Naval Air Station prior to WW 2 and for a time after. It was also the moorings for the famous "Battleship Row". Utah is an old pre WW 1 battleship commissioned in 1911, that had been converted to a gunnery training and aerial target training vessel with heavy planks to protect the crew and decks from blasts of water filled practice bombs. It was manned by a crew  who would take her out for target practice. When the Japs bombed on Dec. 7th, 1941 they mistook the Utah for an aircraft carrier and when they made their reports back to their high command they reported one carrier sunk. Utah had rolled over and 6 officers and 58 men died in her. 30 officers and 431 enlisted survived. Utah like Arizona still rests where she was on that fateful day.

Joe visited the USS Missourri and was given the star tour and was allowed acces to places regular tourists don't get to see. Hawaii's normal temps are 80s and sometimes a little more. There is no airconditioning in this old fireroom and it was several decks down so Joe looks a little flushed. He said it was quite warm there.

Looking up at the big guns under the Blue Hawaiin Skies.

The wood decks on the Mo still look in good shape. One of the crews quarters shows a little more room than on the old cans, but not a lot.

For more on Utah and other ships use these links to USS Utah DANFS USS Utah Naval Archives USS Missouri DANFS USS Mossouri Naval Archives

Joe McGrogan memorials page Obituary