Another photo from the Navy career of James Thurston Watson (2nd row from top, 4th swabbie from left). Seems to be a machinist mate school held at the civilian Norfolk Academy in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Their names and home addresses are written on the reverse of the photo and this group was from every corner of the US.

He joined the USS Anne Arundel AP-76 (commissioned September 1942) and sailed for the November invasion of North Africa. Called Thurston by his family, he became one of the chief petty officers of AP-76 and remained aboard until joining another ship at the end of the war. In addition to North Africa, Thurston was a veteran of Stuka attacks off Sicily, the North Atlantic convoys, the Normandy invasion, and Kamikazi attacks at Okinawa. Ten days after the surrender Anne Arundel steamed into Tokyo Bay. View full size.