December 7th, 1941 was a Day of Infamy for six Patten Brothers. As the nation approaches the 65'h anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, veterans should be proud to know that six Patten brothers were there that fateful day on the battleship USS Nevada (BB-36).

The Patten brothers from rural Iowa began joining the Navy in 1934. During peacetime, they were allowed to serve on the same ship. By January 1941, seven brothers, Gilbert, Marvin, Bick, Allen, Ted, Ray and Bruce, were serving in the engine room of the Nevada. In September, their father, Floyd,joined the Navy and the Patten's were recognized as the Navy's largest family. In October, Ted's enlistment was up and he returned to civilian life working in Long Beach, California.

On the weekend of December 7th, the Nevada was coming into port, but was directed to wait until the aircraft carrier Lexington (CV -2) cleared the entrance to Pearl Harbor as she left port. When the Nevada reached its docking place on Battleship Row, the Arizona (BB-39) was moored where the Nevada normally docked. For that weekend and eternity, they traded places.

The disaster that caused the death of 1,177 sailors and Marines on the Arizona has deservedly been well documented. The story of the six Patten brothers on that day also merits remembrance.

Gilbert was standing in line to purchase toiletries from the ship's store waiting for it to open at 08:00. He counted the sailors ahead of him and decided to come back later. He was never known to have a great deal of patience! Allen had finished night duty and was eating breakfast. Marvin was in a skiff going ashore for duty. Bick, Ray and Bruce were below deck. Allen's recollection of that morning was later published in their hometown newspaper, the Lake City Graphic. "I got up and showered about 7 a.m. and at about 7:45 a.m. I sat down to breakfast. I remember it was a 'dog' sandwich and beans. Then some of the other B Division sailors and I sat around drinking tea and coffee and discussing the and I sat around drinking tea and coffee and discussing the Rose Bowl and who would win the football game, Duke or Oregon.

Then something strange started happening, and we couldn't figure out what was going on. It was past 8 a.m., we were three decks down and the Nevada started shaking like a three or four-scale earthquake. The porthole was open and I heard a rat-a-tat-tat sound like a machine gun. We were all very confused; it had been such a nice serene morning. We thought it odd that someone might be practicing with their guns. Then the B Division mess cook, Henry, he was just a kid, 18 years old yelled down to us. "Hey, you guys, we're being attacked. "

Years later, Bruce recalled the beginning of the eventful day to a Battle Ground, Washington newspaper, the Reflector. He was a Boiler Tender; three decks down on the Nevada, when general quarters sounded before 8 a.m. "All hands man your battle stations!" ordered a voice on a loudspeaker. "On the way to my battle station, I found one of my brothers arguing with a Chief Petty Officer," said Patten.

His brother was insisting to the Chief that Japanese planes were overhead. The Chief was yelling that he was tired of all the rumors about an attack. "Then the first bomb hit and ended the argument," Bruce said. The first wave of Japanese planes attacked at 0753.They bombed and 'torpedoed the Arizona anchored near the Nevada. A bomb struck near Marvin's boat that was leaving for the shore. Bodies flew in every direction. A bomb exploded where Gilbert had been standing at the ship's store. All those who were still in line were killed.

At the stem of Battleship Row, the Nevada's gun crew was marginally faster than other ships in getting into action and beaten off all but one of the low-flying Japanese Kate torpedo bombers. Nonetheless, the last Kate sent a single torpedo into her bow opening up a 40-by 30-foot gash. With a large hole in the Nevada's side, Lieutenant Ruff, the officer in charge, ordered the Nevada to prepare to get underway. Due to its proximity to the Arizona, he feared the explosions and fires would spread to the Nevada. Again, Allen recalled. "Part of the crew was on liberty, and only one of the six boilers was lit and on line. Thick ropes held the ship lightly in place. An axe cut through the hemp mooring lines, and by 8: 18 a.m., we had all six boilers off in ten minutes - record time. The Nevada was underway in 18 minutes, steaming through billowing smoke, which was pouring from the Arizona."

Lieutenant Ruff directed the Nevada to proceed and she steamed toward the open sea to escape further attacks by Japanese planes. The sailors on the other ships cheered as they witnessed the Nevada pull out of its berth in Battleship Row. It was a morale boost for them to observe one of their ships underway. Allen continued. "Our skipper was making a run for the channel at 18 knots, but when the Japanese spotted us we really took a pounding. The first three 500-pound aerial bombs struck the Nevada mid-ship.

It sounded like a big stick of dynamite going off with a thundering noise, and then a torpedo struck the port side, and the Nevada came out of the water two- feet just like somebody lifted it up." Lieutenant Ruff soon realized the Nevada's foray to escape would fail due to her additional damage. He ordered the ship to run aground before she sank. Except for his quick decision and action; crewmen below deck, including the Patten brothers, would have suffered the same fate as the sailors trapped below deck on the Arizona when she sank. Lieutenant Ruff saved their lives and the lives of all crew members below deck.

Later, Allen recalled the scene. "I went topside for the first time an hour after the Japanese attack began and I couldn't believe my eyes. We had been tied up next to the USS Arizona, and as I looked across Pearl Harbor to Battleship Row, the sight was incredible. Ford Island was engulfed in fire and smoke. I saw a nightmare. The Arizona had sunk, the California (BB-44) was ablaze and sinking, the Pennsylvania (BB-38) was in dry dock and burning, the Oklahoma (BB-37) and Utah (BB-31) were capsized. The Japanese had left and the fleet was in ruins."

The Patten brothers' sister, Martha Sporleder, and her husband lived on an Iowa farm. They had a battery-powered radio, and that afternoon, they were gathered in the kitchen The Fall harvest was completed and the family was listening to WHO when the Des Moines radio station announced the attack on Pearl Harbor. They did not have a telephone. In Long Beach, Ted Patten entered a cafe with his lunch bucket and sat next to his fellow workers. There, he first heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor. He immediately left for the nearest Navy station to seek news about his brothers. He also reenlisted in the Navy.

Since the 8th of December, Martha's husband, Ernest, trekked daily to the Western Union 'office at the the railroad station seeking a message on her brothers. On December 10th, a telegraph from Ted simply announced. "All okay." In June 1942, the eighth Patten brother, Wayne, joined the Navy and they continued to serve their country during World War II. They all served aboard ships that were involved in the Battle of the Coral Sea, Battle of Leyte Gulf and Battle of the Philippine Sea (the "Marianas Turkey Shoot"). The eight brothers and their father's Navy career totaled 124 years of service to their country. Today, the two youngest brothers, Bruce and Wayne, survive. Bruce shares a special status with few remaining World War II sailors. He was aboard the Nevada during the attack on December 7th, 1941 and he was aboard the destroyer USS Wren (DD-568) within 300 yards of the battleship Missouri (BB-63) when the Japanese surrendered on September 2nd, 1945.

With seven brothers serving in the same ship, it didn't go unnoticed. Navy Secretary Charles Edison sent a letter of congratulations to Floyd, their father, who told people the only reason he didn't sign up was because he was too old. The Navy seeing the public relations possibilities waived age restrictions and allowed Floyd to enlist in September 1941, at the age of 52. With seven sons watching, Floyd was sworn in on the decks of the Nevada, an event that was broadcast on the NBC radio network USNCSA.

Floyd was assigned to recruiting duties stateside, attended fundraising events and found himself invited to Hollywood premieres - Ted left the Navy when his enlistment ended - that left six sons on the Nevada on December 7, 1941, when Pearl Harbor was attacked. The Nevada lost 50 men that day, with 109 wounded.The Lexington, with six Pattens aboard, was sunk in May 1942. Navy reports show 216 men were lost in the air-sea battle, but somehow, once again the Pattens made it through.

The Sullivan brothers died six months later when the Juneau (CL-52) was sunk, leading the Navy to prohibit close family members from serving on the same ship. "They had some close calls," Sporleder said. "They served on aircraft carriers, destroyers and troop transports. They saw plenty of action." Later in the war, Marvin Patten served in the cruiser Saint Paul (CA-73).

Floyd died of cancer in March 1945, at the age of 55, and his death was big news. His sons all made it home, pretty much without scratches, and went on to raise their families and work in honorable careers. Bruce and Wayne are the only two still alive, both elderly and living in Oregon.

Clarence Floyd Patten, III (VJ) is a 1975 graduate of San Diego State University. He retired from the United States Marine Corps as a Colonel with 30 years service. He and his wife, Katherine, live in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Their son, Clarence Floyd, IV (CIa) and daughter, Pamela (Pam) continued the family military tradition. CIa served in the Marine Corps achieving the grade of Sergeant while Pam served in the Air Force achieving the Rank of Captain. VJ and Katherine's four grandchildren are Samantha, Aaron, Mia, and Clarence Floyd, V (CJ).

Dale E. Sporleder is the son of Martha Sporleder and is a 1963 graduate of Northwest Missouri State University where he studied political science and history. He is a 1967graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia Law School. His legal career included private and corporate practice. Dale is semi-retired living in Carmel, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis, where he continues to practice law. He and his Wife, Linda, have twin daughters, Julie and Christy, who are married, a son Mark, and a grandson, Logan. Clarence and Dale will be publishing another article about the same six brothers in the Battle of the Coral Sea when they were on the Lexington (CV-2). It is for the 65th anniversary of the battle and the significance to Australia.