John E. Greenip

John Greenip, born in August 1920, was a World War II Navy Veteran. His highest rank was fire controlman second class. Greenip’s brother Lawrence served in the National Guard, but never in the active duty military.

A New Milford, New Jersey native, Greenip graduated from Westwood High School, where he was a four-letter athlete. After graduation, he worked for the Hackensack Water Company, as well as he played semi-professional football with a Pascack Valley team. His performance on the football field drew the attention of the New York Giants’ scouts, but Greenip enlisted in the Navy the day after Pearl Harbor, since the surprise attack convinced him it was time to fight for his country.

Greenip recalled boot camp as very cold, and he did not like it. Otherwise, he had an easy transition adjusting to military life, and he would have stayed in the Navy had he not started a family. After boot camp, Greenip was assigned to a ship that sailed down the East Coast, through the Panama Canal and eventually to the island of Conga. He remained in the Pacific Ocean during his time in the Navy, moving between islands. On one occasion, there was a problem raising the ship’s anchor, which was stuck on the ocean floor, and he recalled that as a hectic incident.

Greenip stated that, although his family were considered to be good people, they did not care much about him and never sent him any packages or letters! He did get packages and letters from his fiancé Patricia Galvin though. She made him feel special, while his family did not.

For fun, Greenip and his crewmates would play softball, which was also an occasion to have beer and a sandwich. When the ship was docked, the sailors were allowed to dive off the deck and swim. They also had movies on board, so there was a lot to keep them entertained.

Greenip’s best friend in the Navy lived in southern New Jersey, so he would visit his home often after the war. One day he visited, and found out that his friend had died! Greenip did not like getting attached to people, because if they passed away, it was really hard on him. He remembered the people he served with, but did not make a lot of friends.

When another ship crashed into Greenip’s, seven sailors were killed. He remembered burying them at sea, and being saddened by the tragic losses. After this incident, Greenip was transferred to a cargo ship that brought him to San Diego, where he spent six weeks in fire school training. He recalled that it was a good experience. When Greenip finished, he got thirty days leave, during which he married his fiancé, Patricia.

After his leave, Greenip returned to San Diego to board a new ship and was told that his assigned vessel was in the port of Long Beach. When he arrived there, he was arrested for being absent without leave (AWOL). The ship’s captain came to his rescue, however, declaring that it was not Greenip’s fault, because he was given a paper with the wrong location of his new ship.

After the war ended, Greenip’s ship was stationed in Japan for a while before he was transferred to another ship off the coast of China. He remembered that the beer was very good in China, but the streets of a nearby coastal town were closed by curfew at 11 PM. An Admiral announced to the crew that, if they assaulted Chinese people, they would be charged in a military court.

Greenip’s ship then sailed to Shanghai, and docked in a very fast and dirty river. Small boats with Chinese fishermen and seamstresses aboard sailed out to the ship and offered to perform tasks for the sailors, including making bellbottom pants. Chinese children would swim out to the ship and beg. Bored, Greenip gambled on board to pass time. He said he lost a fortune; he should have held on to collectible items, but instead gambled them away out of boredom.

Greenip’s ship moved on to Pusan, Korea, where it took twenty-one Korean sailors on board for training. They patrolled the coast daily; and, at the end of each day, two of the Koreans would steer the ship back to port. Greenip remembered that the tides were extreme off Korea; and, it was very cold when he was there.

Greenip was transferred to the USS Carmichael, remaining off the coast of China, when his previous ship returned to the United States. There was not much to do aboard the USS Carmichael, beyond playing board games and war games that involved target shooting. Some people said veterans did not act normal when they got home. He remembered being a little off, and was transferred to the hospital ship USS Hope for examination. Greenip was placed in the psychiatric unit and not allowed to use knives and forks, which were thought to be dangerous for sailors with psychological problems. After a long talk with a psychiatrist, he was deemed normal and returned to his ship.

When he finally arrived home, Greenip had no money and slept on a couch on his in laws’ porch. His mother-in-law helped him and his wife to buy their own small house, where he, his wife and small child lived. The house had a coal furnace, which he and his father-in-law did not like, as it was dirty. In 1950, Greenip was recalled into service for the Korean War and served a short stint at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He went to Puerto Rico for a weekend, and he remembered drinking rum there.

Greenip worked part-time jobs until he passed the police entrance examination and went on to be a police officer in New Milford. He recalled dealing with truck driver fights where they stabbed each other, and carpenters fighting at a bar after pay day. This was all normal duty for him, and Greenip liked the work. He rose to the rank of lieutenant in the police force. Greenip stated that he was aided in his police career by the fact that he had learned discipline in the military. In 1983 he retired at the age of sixty-two.

For his service, John Greenip received a World War II Victory Medal, American Area Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and a Good Conduct Medal. He was a member of the American Legion Post 217 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in New Milford and the American Legion Post of North Haledon. 

John E. Greenip passed away on February 16, 2012 at the age of 91.