Papers (1936-1992) including correspondence, photographs awards and certificates, orders, receipts, citations, certificate of appointment, etc.
Joseph E. Hoker (b. 25 November 1917) enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1935, became certified as a fireman 2nd class (1936), and was honorably discharged from the USS REINA MERCEDES (1937) so he might attend the U.S. Naval Academy. He graduated with the Class of 1941 and was assigned to the USS TENNESSEE (1941-1943). He attended submarine school in 1943 and subsequently served on the USS BLACKFISH (1943), the USS GATO (1944), the USS CERO (1944-1946), the USS PETO (1946), and the USS THREADFIN (1946-1947). He received permanent appointment as lieutenant commander on 6 October 1947 and proceeded to serve on board the USS SEA DOG (1949-1950) and the USS QUEENFISH (1950-1952). He then served as assistant planning officer for the 12th Naval District, Commander Submarine Force (1952-1955) with an interim appointment to the Western Industrial Personnel Security Board.
In 1954 Hoker received an appointment as commander and subsequently served on the USS HARDER (1955-1956) and USS CONGER (1956-1957); and on 1 July 1959 he received appointment as captain. After completing a course in Naval Warfare at the Naval War College (1959), he proceeded to the U.S. Naval Academy for duty as head of the Department of Mathematics until 1961. Hoker was also assigned to the Naval Bases New London Group 16th Fleet; 12th Naval District; and Treasure Island, California. Hoker's final ship assignment was aboard the USS MAUNA KEA (1961-1962). At this point he was detached to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard as chief staff officer, and on 30 June 1965 he retired.
Change of duty orders make up the bulk of the collection and cover seventeen different assignments, including temporary duty orders. Correspondence includes a letter from Maryland Congresswoman Helen Delich Bentley (1992) concerning Hoker's receipt of the Pearl Harbor Commemorative Medal, a letter from George Washington University regarding a Master of Science degree, and letters concerning new orders and retirement.
Included in this collection are five items pertaining to the Class of 1941. They are a typed copy of the February 7, 1941, graduation speech, by Secretary of the Navy Knox; statistical data on the Class of 1941; the Fiftieth Reunion program; a testimonial certificate for the golden anniversary of the Class of 1941; and a photograph of the Class of 1941 at Pearl Harbor.
Miscellaneous items include four citations, certificates of completion for correspondence courses, top secret clearance paperwork, a certificate of appointment to midshipman, and an official "Order for Change of Name." On 15 March 1965, Joseph Hokr and his family legally changed their names to Hoker. Other miscellaneous items include a "crossing the line" summons by the USS CARTER HALL to Lt. J. E. Hoker, an article on the USS CERO, biographical information on Hoker, Reef Points for 1939/40 (the handbook for the United States Naval Academy), a personal history, tour of duty cards, and Hoker's obituary.
Photographs in the collection are of Hoker and include two 1945 medal presentations (one being of Admiral Spruance presenting Captain Hoker the Bronze Star at Guam in 1945), crew members of the USS QUEENFISH celebrating the eighth anniversary (1952) of its commissioning, the Naval Academy Class of 1941 at Pearl Harbor (1951), the crew of the USS CERO, and Hoker receiving from Captain James Elkins a commission pennant flown on the USS MAUNA KEA.
Gift of Capt. Joseph E. Hoker, USN(Ret.)
Gift of Mrs. Joseph Hoker
Processed by A. Rubenstein, September 1996
Encoded by Apex Data Services
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