Obituary, HICKORY DAILY RECORD, 10 December 2001.
Leiter Thomas Pannell, Claremont, NC, died Saturday, December 8, 2001. The family will receive friends at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, Claremont, at 1:00 o'clock p.m., before the funeral celebration, lead by Rev. Jim Cone, Pastor, at 2:00 o'clock p.m. on Monday, December 10, 2001. Interment will follow at the Claremont Cemetery. At other times the family will be at the home on West Main Street.
Born January 18, 1926, on a farm in Catawba County, he was raised during the Depression in Claremont by his mother, the late Annie Sigmon Pannell, the Pannell and Sigmon families, and the Claremont community. His father, Luther, died in a trucking accident in 1934.
Caught up in a special "six months after Pearl Harbor" recruitment drive, at age 16, on June 6, 1942, he got his mother to sign so he could join the Navy. After a convey escort for the North Africa Campaign he would have many notable experiences in the Pacific. Three in particular: On the Destroyer USS LaVallette (DD448), on January 29, 1943 , in a battle force protecting the landing at Guadalcanal near Renner Island, Japanese torpedo bombers attacked damaging the heavy cruiser Chicago so that it had to be taken in tow. Knowing the Japanese would come back to finish the Chicago, LaVallette and 7 other destroyers were assigned to screen her. LaVallette was in the best attack path and took a torpedo hit, putting her out of action. In this battle Leiter was a trainer on a quad-40MM, the ship being credited with 3 bombers destroyed.
Reassigned to a new ship, on January 9, 1944, Leiter was on board the USS DeHaven (DD727) when she was launched at the Bath Iron Works, Maine. The DeHaven made strikes all over the Pacific in support of the island invasions, Lingayen Gulf, Lusan, Formosa, Camranh Bay, Hong Kong, Hainan, Okinawa, and the main Japanese islands. On September 1, 1945, DeHaven embarked with Rear Admiral John Shaforth for Tokyo Bay and the Japanese surrender. Anchor was dropped off the port bow of the Missouri. In this made-to-order position the DeHaven crew had a ring-side seat to watch other ships bring the high-ranking officers and officials from the different Allied Nations to witness and sign the surrender.
But the surrender was not Leiter's first visit to Tokyo Bay, the heart of hearts of the Japanese territory. More notable, 42 days earlier, Destroyer Squadron 9 and its flagship the USS DeHaven crept towards Tokyo Bay, under orders to find any enemy ships and destroy them. Four Japanese cargo ships and two destroyers were coming out of the bay. Each of the destroyers fired two torpedoes, sinking the cargo ships and damaging the destroyer escorts which were grounded. The battle was the first time any US warships had entered Tokyo Bay. None of the US ships was hit but Torpedo man 3/C Pannell would say, "It was crazy for Halsley to send us in there; it didn't have any purpose."
Was he part of America's greatest generation?" Maybe. But he wasn't much for superlatives and assumed there was more "greatest" ahead. He would have just said, "We did a pretty good job."
We didn't know it then but after the war, like many, he suffered to some degree from what we called "shell-shock." After a number of things he went to work as a furniture upholsterer at Southern Furniture Company, Conover. There he was responsible for numerous manufacturing advances, having been given many special assignments from Mr. O. W. and later Jerome Bolick. He invented and held the patent on the Shadow, a device still state of the art in the upholstering industry. In 1978 he became manager of the Orbit Division, and also Southern's Main Plant in 1987, with as many as 800 employees. He retired in 1991 as Plant Manager and Vice-President.
He was active at Mt. Calvary, serving as chairman of its council and as scoutmaster, being particularly proud of the two scouts that made Eagle and the two that received the Deo et Patria Award. In 1972 he published "Thoughts", his book of poems. Woodworking was among his hobbies and he could make anything for Lottie from a picture, "make or fix anything. Sometimes people would say, "He can do anything." Once when asked why that was, Leiter replied, "I knew there was nobody standing behind me to do it for me." He and Lottie were great company and an item on the dance floor.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Lottie Lou Bost Pannell; son, Greg Pannell, an accomplished musician of Salisbury, and his wife, Rose Ann; grandson, Adam, a student at Eastern Carolina University; granddaughter, Maria, of the home; and a brother, Martin of Conover. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his brother, Charles Luther Pannell. Pallbearers are nephews Larry, Michael, Randy, Bruce, Monroe, and Robert Pannell. Memorials in honor of Mr. Pannell may be made to Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 579, Claremont, NC 28610, or Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Rd., Newton, NC 28658.
Leiter Thomas Pannell, Claremont, NC, died Saturday, December 8, 2001. The family will receive friends at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, Claremont, at 1:00 o'clock p.m., before the funeral celebration, lead by Rev. Jim Cone, Pastor, at 2:00 o'clock p.m. on Monday, December 10, 2001. Interment will follow at the Claremont Cemetery. At other times the family will be at the home on West Main Street.
Born January 18, 1926, on a farm in Catawba County, he was raised during the Depression in Claremont by his mother, the late Annie Sigmon Pannell, the Pannell and Sigmon families, and the Claremont community. His father, Luther, died in a trucking accident in 1934.
Caught up in a special "six months after Pearl Harbor" recruitment drive, at age 16, on June 6, 1942, he got his mother to sign so he could join the Navy. After a convey escort for the North Africa Campaign he would have many notable experiences in the Pacific. Three in particular: On the Destroyer USS LaVallette (DD448), on January 29, 1943 , in a battle force protecting the landing at Guadalcanal near Renner Island, Japanese torpedo bombers attacked damaging the heavy cruiser Chicago so that it had to be taken in tow. Knowing the Japanese would come back to finish the Chicago, LaVallette and 7 other destroyers were assigned to screen her. LaVallette was in the best attack path and took a torpedo hit, putting her out of action. In this battle Leiter was a trainer on a quad-40MM, the ship being credited with 3 bombers destroyed.
Reassigned to a new ship, on January 9, 1944, Leiter was on board the USS DeHaven (DD727) when she was launched at the Bath Iron Works, Maine. The DeHaven made strikes all over the Pacific in support of the island invasions, Lingayen Gulf, Lusan, Formosa, Camranh Bay, Hong Kong, Hainan, Okinawa, and the main Japanese islands. On September 1, 1945, DeHaven embarked with Rear Admiral John Shaforth for Tokyo Bay and the Japanese surrender. Anchor was dropped off the port bow of the Missouri. In this made-to-order position the DeHaven crew had a ring-side seat to watch other ships bring the high-ranking officers and officials from the different Allied Nations to witness and sign the surrender.
But the surrender was not Leiter's first visit to Tokyo Bay, the heart of hearts of the Japanese territory. More notable, 42 days earlier, Destroyer Squadron 9 and its flagship the USS DeHaven crept towards Tokyo Bay, under orders to find any enemy ships and destroy them. Four Japanese cargo ships and two destroyers were coming out of the bay. Each of the destroyers fired two torpedoes, sinking the cargo ships and damaging the destroyer escorts which were grounded. The battle was the first time any US warships had entered Tokyo Bay. None of the US ships was hit but Torpedo man 3/C Pannell would say, "It was crazy for Halsley to send us in there; it didn't have any purpose."
Was he part of America's greatest generation?" Maybe. But he wasn't much for superlatives and assumed there was more "greatest" ahead. He would have just said, "We did a pretty good job."
We didn't know it then but after the war, like many, he suffered to some degree from what we called "shell-shock." After a number of things he went to work as a furniture upholsterer at Southern Furniture Company, Conover. There he was responsible for numerous manufacturing advances, having been given many special assignments from Mr. O. W. and later Jerome Bolick. He invented and held the patent on the Shadow, a device still state of the art in the upholstering industry. In 1978 he became manager of the Orbit Division, and also Southern's Main Plant in 1987, with as many as 800 employees. He retired in 1991 as Plant Manager and Vice-President.
He was active at Mt. Calvary, serving as chairman of its council and as scoutmaster, being particularly proud of the two scouts that made Eagle and the two that received the Deo et Patria Award. In 1972 he published "Thoughts", his book of poems. Woodworking was among his hobbies and he could make anything for Lottie from a picture, "make or fix anything. Sometimes people would say, "He can do anything." Once when asked why that was, Leiter replied, "I knew there was nobody standing behind me to do it for me." He and Lottie were great company and an item on the dance floor.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Lottie Lou Bost Pannell; son, Greg Pannell, an accomplished musician of Salisbury, and his wife, Rose Ann; grandson, Adam, a student at Eastern Carolina University; granddaughter, Maria, of the home; and a brother, Martin of Conover. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his brother, Charles Luther Pannell. Pallbearers are nephews Larry, Michael, Randy, Bruce, Monroe, and Robert Pannell. Memorials in honor of Mr. Pannell may be made to Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 579, Claremont, NC 28610, or Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Rd., Newton, NC 28658.
Obituary, HICKORY DAILY RECORD, 10 December 2001.
Leiter Thomas Pannell, Claremont, NC, died Saturday, December 8, 2001. The family will receive friends at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, Claremont, at 1:00 o'clock p.m., before the funeral celebration, lead by Rev. Jim Cone, Pastor, at 2:00 o'clock p.m. on Monday, December 10, 2001. Interment will follow at the Claremont Cemetery. At other times the family will be at the home on West Main Street.
Born January 18, 1926, on a farm in Catawba County, he was raised during the Depression in Claremont by his mother, the late Annie Sigmon Pannell, the Pannell and Sigmon families, and the Claremont community. His father, Luther, died in a trucking accident in 1934.
Caught up in a special "six months after Pearl Harbor" recruitment drive, at age 16, on June 6, 1942, he got his mother to sign so he could join the Navy. After a convey escort for the North Africa Campaign he would have many notable experiences in the Pacific. Three in particular: On the Destroyer USS LaVallette (DD448), on January 29, 1943 , in a battle force protecting the landing at Guadalcanal near Renner Island, Japanese torpedo bombers attacked damaging the heavy cruiser Chicago so that it had to be taken in tow. Knowing the Japanese would come back to finish the Chicago, LaVallette and 7 other destroyers were assigned to screen her. LaVallette was in the best attack path and took a torpedo hit, putting her out of action. In this battle Leiter was a trainer on a quad-40MM, the ship being credited with 3 bombers destroyed.
Reassigned to a new ship, on January 9, 1944, Leiter was on board the USS DeHaven (DD727) when she was launched at the Bath Iron Works, Maine. The DeHaven made strikes all over the Pacific in support of the island invasions, Lingayen Gulf, Lusan, Formosa, Camranh Bay, Hong Kong, Hainan, Okinawa, and the main Japanese islands. On September 1, 1945, DeHaven embarked with Rear Admiral John Shaforth for Tokyo Bay and the Japanese surrender. Anchor was dropped off the port bow of the Missouri. In this made-to-order position the DeHaven crew had a ring-side seat to watch other ships bring the high-ranking officers and officials from the different Allied Nations to witness and sign the surrender.
But the surrender was not Leiter's first visit to Tokyo Bay, the heart of hearts of the Japanese territory. More notable, 42 days earlier, Destroyer Squadron 9 and its flagship the USS DeHaven crept towards Tokyo Bay, under orders to find any enemy ships and destroy them. Four Japanese cargo ships and two destroyers were coming out of the bay. Each of the destroyers fired two torpedoes, sinking the cargo ships and damaging the destroyer escorts which were grounded. The battle was the first time any US warships had entered Tokyo Bay. None of the US ships was hit but Torpedo man 3/C Pannell would say, "It was crazy for Halsley to send us in there; it didn't have any purpose."
Was he part of America's greatest generation?" Maybe. But he wasn't much for superlatives and assumed there was more "greatest" ahead. He would have just said, "We did a pretty good job."
We didn't know it then but after the war, like many, he suffered to some degree from what we called "shell-shock." After a number of things he went to work as a furniture upholsterer at Southern Furniture Company, Conover. There he was responsible for numerous manufacturing advances, having been given many special assignments from Mr. O. W. and later Jerome Bolick. He invented and held the patent on the Shadow, a device still state of the art in the upholstering industry. In 1978 he became manager of the Orbit Division, and also Southern's Main Plant in 1987, with as many as 800 employees. He retired in 1991 as Plant Manager and Vice-President.
He was active at Mt. Calvary, serving as chairman of its council and as scoutmaster, being particularly proud of the two scouts that made Eagle and the two that received the Deo et Patria Award. In 1972 he published "Thoughts", his book of poems. Woodworking was among his hobbies and he could make anything for Lottie from a picture, "make or fix anything. Sometimes people would say, "He can do anything." Once when asked why that was, Leiter replied, "I knew there was nobody standing behind me to do it for me." He and Lottie were great company and an item on the dance floor.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Lottie Lou Bost Pannell; son, Greg Pannell, an accomplished musician of Salisbury, and his wife, Rose Ann; grandson, Adam, a student at Eastern Carolina University; granddaughter, Maria, of the home; and a brother, Martin of Conover. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his brother, Charles Luther Pannell. Pallbearers are nephews Larry, Michael, Randy, Bruce, Monroe, and Robert Pannell. Memorials in honor of Mr. Pannell may be made to Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 579, Claremont, NC 28610, or Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Rd., Newton, NC 28658.
Leiter Thomas Pannell, Claremont, NC, died Saturday, December 8, 2001. The family will receive friends at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, Claremont, at 1:00 o'clock p.m., before the funeral celebration, lead by Rev. Jim Cone, Pastor, at 2:00 o'clock p.m. on Monday, December 10, 2001. Interment will follow at the Claremont Cemetery. At other times the family will be at the home on West Main Street.
Born January 18, 1926, on a farm in Catawba County, he was raised during the Depression in Claremont by his mother, the late Annie Sigmon Pannell, the Pannell and Sigmon families, and the Claremont community. His father, Luther, died in a trucking accident in 1934.
Caught up in a special "six months after Pearl Harbor" recruitment drive, at age 16, on June 6, 1942, he got his mother to sign so he could join the Navy. After a convey escort for the North Africa Campaign he would have many notable experiences in the Pacific. Three in particular: On the Destroyer USS LaVallette (DD448), on January 29, 1943 , in a battle force protecting the landing at Guadalcanal near Renner Island, Japanese torpedo bombers attacked damaging the heavy cruiser Chicago so that it had to be taken in tow. Knowing the Japanese would come back to finish the Chicago, LaVallette and 7 other destroyers were assigned to screen her. LaVallette was in the best attack path and took a torpedo hit, putting her out of action. In this battle Leiter was a trainer on a quad-40MM, the ship being credited with 3 bombers destroyed.
Reassigned to a new ship, on January 9, 1944, Leiter was on board the USS DeHaven (DD727) when she was launched at the Bath Iron Works, Maine. The DeHaven made strikes all over the Pacific in support of the island invasions, Lingayen Gulf, Lusan, Formosa, Camranh Bay, Hong Kong, Hainan, Okinawa, and the main Japanese islands. On September 1, 1945, DeHaven embarked with Rear Admiral John Shaforth for Tokyo Bay and the Japanese surrender. Anchor was dropped off the port bow of the Missouri. In this made-to-order position the DeHaven crew had a ring-side seat to watch other ships bring the high-ranking officers and officials from the different Allied Nations to witness and sign the surrender.
But the surrender was not Leiter's first visit to Tokyo Bay, the heart of hearts of the Japanese territory. More notable, 42 days earlier, Destroyer Squadron 9 and its flagship the USS DeHaven crept towards Tokyo Bay, under orders to find any enemy ships and destroy them. Four Japanese cargo ships and two destroyers were coming out of the bay. Each of the destroyers fired two torpedoes, sinking the cargo ships and damaging the destroyer escorts which were grounded. The battle was the first time any US warships had entered Tokyo Bay. None of the US ships was hit but Torpedo man 3/C Pannell would say, "It was crazy for Halsley to send us in there; it didn't have any purpose."
Was he part of America's greatest generation?" Maybe. But he wasn't much for superlatives and assumed there was more "greatest" ahead. He would have just said, "We did a pretty good job."
We didn't know it then but after the war, like many, he suffered to some degree from what we called "shell-shock." After a number of things he went to work as a furniture upholsterer at Southern Furniture Company, Conover. There he was responsible for numerous manufacturing advances, having been given many special assignments from Mr. O. W. and later Jerome Bolick. He invented and held the patent on the Shadow, a device still state of the art in the upholstering industry. In 1978 he became manager of the Orbit Division, and also Southern's Main Plant in 1987, with as many as 800 employees. He retired in 1991 as Plant Manager and Vice-President.
He was active at Mt. Calvary, serving as chairman of its council and as scoutmaster, being particularly proud of the two scouts that made Eagle and the two that received the Deo et Patria Award. In 1972 he published "Thoughts", his book of poems. Woodworking was among his hobbies and he could make anything for Lottie from a picture, "make or fix anything. Sometimes people would say, "He can do anything." Once when asked why that was, Leiter replied, "I knew there was nobody standing behind me to do it for me." He and Lottie were great company and an item on the dance floor.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Lottie Lou Bost Pannell; son, Greg Pannell, an accomplished musician of Salisbury, and his wife, Rose Ann; grandson, Adam, a student at Eastern Carolina University; granddaughter, Maria, of the home; and a brother, Martin of Conover. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his brother, Charles Luther Pannell. Pallbearers are nephews Larry, Michael, Randy, Bruce, Monroe, and Robert Pannell. Memorials in honor of Mr. Pannell may be made to Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 579, Claremont, NC 28610, or Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Rd., Newton, NC 28658.
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