SCRUGGS, Jack L. 382-34-07 S2C. Home: Long Beach, California. Graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School. Previous occupation - Salesman and Semi-professional musician. (His sister reported Jack was asked by ADM Kidd, Sr. to play his accordion for his wife's birthday call.) Major instrument - Trombone. Minor instrument - Piano and Piano Accordion. Nickname - "Scrooge"
Jack Leo Scruggs was born March 9, 1919 in Hanford, CA to Henry Paul Scruggs and Elsie Mae Scruggs. Two years later I was born. We lived on a fruit ranch in the farming community. The crops were apricots, peaches and grapes. In those days it was hard to make a living at farming so our father went to work in the oil fields.
We moved to Taft, CA in 1929 where our father worked with a company that rented tools to oilwells. This company moved him to their place of business in Long Beach, CA in 1932 where the family is still located.
Music was always an important part of our family. Both parents had fine singing voices and our mother sang in the church choir and also sang solos. Jack started taking piano lessons when he was about 10 years old. He started on the trombone when he was about 12.
Jack played in bands and orchestras all through his school years including Long Beach City College. He had a fine ear for music and could play anything on the piano after hearing it just one time. He took music classes in high school and city college. He enjoyed making music arrangements for a little dance band he was in during high school. He had the ability to listen to a record of a big band and then listen over and over again and was able to pick out all the different instruments and make an arrangement for their own little band. During high school, Jack started playing the accordian and was in great demand as an entertainer at parties and different functions.
Along with all of the young men, Jack registered for the draft. He was not looking forward to serving in the Army, and wanting to further his musical education, applied to the Navy School of Music. He was accepted and looked forward to what he thought would be two years at the school and four years in the Navy. Jack arrived at the school in December 1940 and was sent to Norfolk. After boot camp he reported to the school to start his training of different musical subjects as well as private lessons on the piano and trombone. He played in the band and dance band. He soon sent home for his accordian and played that quite a bit, since all the pianos were being taken off the ships.
Jack, along with all the members of the USS Arizona's Navy Band No. 22, was killed in action at his battle station on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Jack was awarded posthumously, as were all the band members, the following medals:
Purple Heart
American Defense Service Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Bronze Star
Pearl Harbor Commemorative Medal
Additional Information
Recovered from water as UNKNOWN. After identification, reinterred in Long Beach, California, by family in 1947.
Return to Crew Stories Index | Return to Band Home Page
NOTE: All stories, photos, etc. are the property of the individuals by whom they were submitted and may not be reprinted or used for any reason without the written consent of the owner.
CONTENT MAY ALSO BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT (17 U.S.C. § 107 & § 108 (a)(3)).
Email for further information. Thank you.
