In October 1999, Parkway Estates in Marion was the scene of a World War II hero receiving a national award last week.
CW03 Arlie T. Sinks was presented the Living Legend Award from The Aviation Boatswain Mate Association from the past president and co-founder, Robert F. Gillen.
In the letter of nomination for this award that is given to only one person in the United States each year the following story of Sinks activities on behalf of our country were outlined.
“It is with great pride that I nominate CW03 Arlie T. Sinks, USN (Ret) for the ABMA Living Legend Award. Arlie T. first joined the Navy in August, 1934 and his early years were spent as a Machinist Mate in the Battleship and Cruiser Navy. As with so many of the true legends in the Aviation Boatswain Mate rating, our early forerunners volunteered for and were selected from other ratings when our AB rate originated. Arlie T. Sinks was one of this group.
For a little background on Mr. Sinks, during his early years when assigned to a battleship homeported in Long Beach, California, he rode a trolley to Los Angeles several nights a week at his own expense and on his own time to attend a vocational school on Propulsion Engines and Power Plants. This not only furthered his own education but he became a more valuable asset to the US Navy. With this, type of determination and drive, Arlie was promoted at an early age to Chief Petty Officer. “
In 1942, Arlie was assigned to the staff of Admiral Hart and when Corregidor fell to the Japanese, Arlie was captured as a POW. He was first taken to Cabantuan (Philippines) by train and then on to Taiwan before being taken to Japan. He was one of 300 technicians the Japanese used to do forced labor in the Yokohama shipyards. He and his fellow prisoners used their technical expertise to delay the launching of a large aircraft carrier by small acts of sabotage, such as dropping bolts into vital pieces of machinery.
From a warehouse Arlie watched the firebombing of Tokyo by General Curtis LeMay’s bombers. In the fall of 1945, he was taken along with 44 other POWs to Shiougamel, where US Naval forces rescued him at the close of the war. For his efforts while a POW, James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy, presented Arlie with the Bronze Star. This citation reads, in part:
“Throughout a prolonged period of imprisonment under brutal Japanese camp authorities. Sinks consistently provided encouragement and wise counsel to his fellow enlisted men and offered many valuable suggestions to the senior American officers concerning means of improving the morale of all prisoners while maintaining a dignified and cheerful demeanor which inspired the others to emulate his own stoic fortitude and share his staunch conviction that the day of delivery from the enemy would certainly come.”
After the war, it took Arlie several years to regain his health.
“Arlie’s first assignment as an AB was at the old Naval Air Engineering Laboratory (NAEL) Philadelphia where he was involved with the development, testing and installation of our first steam catapults (editor’s note: These are used in the launching of aircraft off of a carrier). With his Machinist Mate and Engineering background in steam, his contribution to the program was significant. On his TAD trips to our carriers that were being outfitted with steam catapults, Arlie and his team of AB’s played a major part in the successful installation and testing of the equipment.
His next tour was as the Catapult and Arresting Gear Maintenance Officer aboard USS Intrepid, (CVA-11). When Arlie’s day of retirement came in 1956, he was reluctant to leave the USS Intrepid because a major repair was just being completed to the catapult launching valves. At the Captain’s request, Arlie returned to the ship after his retirement to supervise completion of the job and the successful testing of the valves. I might add, a new Maintenance Officer had not yet been assigned.
After retirement Arlie continued his life in the AB community with employment in a company contracted by the US Government and NAEC to supervise the installation, repair and testing of steam catapults aboard US Navy Carriers. When the Catapult and Arresting Gear Field Service Unit (CAFSU) was initiated in 1958, Arlie was one of the first to sign on and be selected as a member.
“During the Vietnam conflict, Mr. Sinks was selected to be the supervisor of the Carrier and Field Service Unit located at the Subic Bay Naval Station in the Philipines. During this period the operating tempo was the highest it has ever been in the history of Naval Aviation, and the in port time for maintenance and repairs was the shortest it has ever been.
Under these most strenuous and adverse conditions, Arlie T. Sinks and his technicians provided a service which was invaluable to the operating fleet. Whether it was processing a work request for accomplishment of repairs upon arrival in port, or chasing down and providing spare parts for delivery at sea, every request was filled.
If technical assistance was needed his troops were there on the next Carrier Onboard Delivery, and for those who did not need technical assistance he was there to support in any way possible. Arlie T. Sinks was the father of every Catapult and Arresting Gear Maintenance Officer that sailed into the waters of the Far East during the crisis. Not only did he provide assistance for the cats and gear, but he provided assistance and material for flight deck repairs, flight deck lighting, and for the aviation fuel system.
“His accomplishments were numerous but two of the most significant repairs which reduced equipment down time and time for the carrier to be off the operating line during Vietnam, were the replacement and peening of the Catapult cylinders aboard the USS Hancock in Japan, and major repairs to the launching valves and firing of a dead load certification program aboard the USS Shangri La at CDubi Pointpier in the Philippines.
Both of these repairs were first time ever type repairs to be accomplished in the West Pacific area and due to Arlie’s exceptional advanced planning and job co-ordination between Ship Repair Facilities and ship personnel, the work was completed in a highly professional and expeditious manner.
“When Arlie returned from WestPac he was assigned as the CAFSU supervisor for the San Diego area. It was during this period that the ABMA was formed and Arlie was one of its first members He is a plankowner with a life Membership number of 20. Arlie also was very much involved with the formation of the organization and provided great assistance to the first ABMA president.
“Upon Artie’s retirement from Civil Service he was presented with the “Superior Civilian Service Award”. This award is one of the highest awards given to a civilian.
As Admiral Arleigh Burke once said, “We need men and women who by their personal integrity, their sense of moral purpose and their acceptance of the requirement for hard work, will exemplify the best in the leadership traditions of the Navy and of our Country.” This quote fits Arlie T. Sinks to a Tee. Not only was Arlie T. Sinks one of our first Maintenance Officers. He was a pioneer in our AB rating. He was a professional in every sense of the word and the finest gentleman I have ever known. I feel privileged and honored to nominate him for this prestigious award, the ABMA Living Legend.”
Signed, Life Member No. 1, Robert F. Gillian.
Sam’s Notes:
Arlie Sinks passed away in July of 2009 and is interred at Rose Hill Cemetery.
(Extracted from Marion Daily Republican article by Diane Wilkins dated October 28, 1999)