Arthur was born in 1922. His parents were Ernest McDuffie Trotter 1898–1979 and Annie Mae Smith Trotter 1899–1981.
Arthur enlisted in the naval reserve on 7 Nov 1942, he was stationed on the USS Indianapolis on 7 Nov 1943, as a Radio Man 3rd Class and later, Radioman 2nd Class. [1]
In July 1945 the USS Indianapolis was sent on a secret mission to deliver the components of the Little Boy atomic bomb to Tinian Island without an escort, on the return trip, still without escort, it was attacked by a Japanese submarine. The USS Indianapolis sank in 12 minutes on 30 Jul 1945 with some 300 of the 1,195 crewmen aboard going down with the ship. With few lifeboats and many without life jackets, only 316 of the nearly 900 men set adrift survived the 4 days in shark infested water before rescue. Arthur was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. The crew of the USS Indianapolis was later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.[2][3]
Arthur is honored at two memorials: USS Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana and Fort William Mckinley, Manila, Philippines.[4][5]
Featured Asian and Pacific Islander connections: Arthur is 25 degrees from 今上 天皇, 23 degrees from Adrienne Clarkson, 22 degrees from Dwight Heine, 27 degrees from Dwayne Johnson, 23 degrees from Tupua Tamasese Lealofioaana, 18 degrees from Stacey Milbern, 23 degrees from Sono Osato, 33 degrees from 乾隆 愛新覺羅, 18 degrees from Ravi Shankar, 26 degrees from Taika Waititi, 26 degrees from Penny Wong and 12 degrees from Chang Bunker on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
T > Trotter > Arthur Cecil Trotter
Categories: Pickens County, South Carolina | Lost at Sea | USS Indianapolis (CA-35), United States Navy, World War II | Congressional Gold Medal | Purple Heart | Killed in Action, United States of America, World War II