Arthur Clare Perrault was born 20 March, 1920 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He grew up in Cambridge, New York and in the 1940 census was listed as a farm hand. On January 5th, 1942 at Albany, New York he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, service no. 238 83 09. He served as an able seaman on the USS Truxtun and was one of the 46 crew members who survived the sinking of the USS Truxtun and USS Pollux off the coast of Newfoundland in February of 1942. After the disaster his sister received a telegram from him, saying that he was "Safe and feeling Fine." He continued to serve in the navy and was assigned to the destroyer USS Maddox as torpedoman's mate, third class. That vessel was lost in battle off the coast of Sicily on July 10, 1943 and reportedly sank in 90 seconds. Arthur was declared "Missing in Action" and was awarded the Purple Heart. His next of kin at that time was Mrs. Margaret G. Bailey, 209 Washington Ave., Bennington. A monument was erected at Sicily in memory of the men lost in the battle. The Maddox has the unfortunate distinction of having been the fastest sinking U.S. warship to be lost in World War II.
