Oral History Interview With Al Quackenbush, a Survivor of and Eye Witness to the Attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941

The source of this story is the National Museum of the Pacific War Digital Archive. ORAL HISTORY PROJECT BY BRAD WEBER FOR INTERVIEW WITH AL QUACKENBUSH, U.S.S. Tangier October 10, 1999 Al Quackenbush was a First Class Ships Cook on the USS Tangier at the time of Pearl Harbor. Today he resides in Minnesota and is very involved with the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. 

BW: Can you give me your full name, rate, and length of service on the Tangier.

AQ: My name is Al Quackenbush. At the time we put the Tangier in commission I was Ships Cook first class. Bill Fletcher and I were watch officers in our galley. I entered the Navy as a swimmer when right out of high school in a swimming program the Navy had in those days. In 1931 you couldn’t get into the Navy in those days unless you was an athlete. So it was quite an honor for me to be accepted into the Navy when they was turning so many people. In 1931 there wasn’t much action. So I was real fortunate. All I did for the first few years was swept for the Navy. I almost made the 1932 Olympic team. I tried out for it and the Navy was good enough to send me all over to Panama along with everybody. I had a great time with alot of great people. I had this picture taken with Buster Crabbe at a swimming race. I later met him in Hawaii. We had a good times. It was a wonderful life. 

U.S.S. Tangier AV-8

Interesting Facts About The Quackenbush Surname

 Here are some interesting facts I ran across recently about the Quackenbush surname.

There are approximately 5,831 people in the world at this moment with this surname and it is the 83,019th most common surname in the world. Below is listed where they are and in what numbers.

• Canada: 6% of all Quackenbush's live in Canada or 368 people. The name appears 1 in100k people.
• United States: There are 5,402 Quackenbush residing in the U.S.. 21% in New York State, 9% in California, 7% in Florida, and a sprinkling in Indiana and Oregon. The name appears 1 in 67k.
• Honduras: There is 1 Quackenbush here with a ratio of 1 in 8.8M.
• France: There is 1 Quackenbush here with a ratio of 1 in 66M.
• Brazil: There are 4 Quackenbush's here with a ratio of 1 in 53M.
• Chile: There are 4 Quackenbush's here with a ratio of 1 in 4.4M.
• Bahamas: There is 1 Quackenbush here with a ratio of 1 in 391k.
• England: There are 3 Quackenbush's here with a ratio of 1 in 18M.
• Wales: There is 1 Quackenbush here with a ratio of 1 in 3M.
• Denmark: There are 5 Quackenbush's here with a ratio of 1 in 1.1M.
• Netherlands: There is 1 Quackenbush here with a ratio of 1 in 16M. I really expected to find many more here since it is where the surname originated. However, it appears that we have all but abandoned the country.
• Spain: There is 1 Quackenbush in Spain with a ratio of 1 in 46M.
• Russia: There is 1 Quackenbush here with a ratio of 1 in 144M.
• Crimea: There is 1 Quackenbush here with a ratio of 1 in 144M.
• Kazakhstan: There are 2 Quackenbush's here with a ratio of 1 in 8.8M.
• China: There is 1 Quackenbush here with a ratio of 1 in 1.3B.
• Japan: There is 1 Quackenbush with a ratio of 1 in 127M.
• Turkey: There is 1 Quackenbush here with a ratio of 1 in 77M.
• Cypress: There is 1 Quackenbush with a ratio of 1 in 884k.
• Afghanistan: There are 2 Quackenbush's here with a ratio of 1 in 16M.
• South Korea: There is 1 Quackenbush with a ratio of 1 in 51M.
• Thailand: There are 2 Quackenbush's with a ratio of 1 in 35M.
• Australia: There are 23 Quackenbush's here with a ratio of 1 in 1.1M.

In the U.S., 13.27% of all Quackenbush's are more likely to be registered Republicans than the national average, with 60.04% being registered with the political party. In the U.S., they earn 5.61% more than the national average, earning up to $45,570 USD per year and in Canada they earn 7,82% less than the national average, earning $45,798 CAD per year.

Nicholas I. Quackenbos

During the early days of the settlement of America, when large numbers of sturdy Dutch pioneers crossed the Atlantic and founded New Amsterdam, two brother named Quack Boss came to this country, one of who, settled in Albany, took the name of Quackenbush, while the other, remaining in New York City, adopted the name of Quackenbos. From the latter of the two brothers, the subject of this notice is descended. For generations the family has been one of wealth, prominence, and influence, and it has given to New York many of its leading merchants, attorneys, and physicians. One of the most prominent members was George P. Quackenbos, the noted school-book author, who was a cousin of our subject.

LCDR Robert S. Quackenbush, USN - Update

WWII Photography Fights Interpretation Unit Film "Photography Fights" 77784. Created for the U.S. Navy by the Treasury Dept. as part of the 6th War Loan drive, PHOTOGRAPHY FIGHTS is a docudrama that showcases the role of a naval photographic interpretation team in theater. The film begins and ends with a "typical" American couple who openly doubt the value of photography in the war, and then shows an interpretation team working on the front lines at Guadalcanal in the Pacific. An aerial photograph is analyzed to reveal that Japanese troops are constructing an air strip on an adjacent island at Munda. The film then suggests the destruction of the strip by showing scenes of aerial and naval bombardment. The film (according to a 1944 guide) "shows how under enemy action photographic crews work precious minutes getting and scanning pictures to search for signs of enemy emplacements and evidence of his movements. It shows what happens when well trained, discerning photographic interpreters can read from pictures shot by the crew."

John Adam Quackenbush - Congressman

John A. Quackenbush. son of Harmon J.; born October 16. 1828 in Schaghticoke, New York; married September 29, 1852 to Harriet Kinney (died November 12. 1899). Together they had the following children: Jacob, born July 19. 1855; died September 14, 1855. George Edward, born November 10, 1855; died January 12. 1857. John Henry, born May 12. 1858; married Nellie Newland. Emma, born June 2, 1863; married December 29, 1890, George Ira Rayner. No children.

John Adam Quackenbush was a U.S. Republican politician from New York. He was born in Schaghticoke, New York. He attended the district schools and the local academy in Stillwater N.Y.; engaged in agricultural pursuits and was also interested in the lumber business. He was the supervisor of Schaghticoke 1860 - 1862 and chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Rensselaer County in 1862. He was a member of the New York State Assembly (Rensselaer Co., 2nd D.) in 1863. John served as the Sheriff of Rensselaer County from 1873 - 1876. He was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-first and Fifty-second Congresses (March 4, 1889 - March 3, 1893. John was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Fifty-third Congress. He resumed agricultural pursuits and died in Schaghticoke, N.Y. on May 11, 1908. John was buried in the City Cemetery.

Mike (Michael Spillane) Quackenbush - American Professional Wrestler

Michael Spillane (born March 18, 1976), better known by his ring name Mike Quackenbush, is an American professional wrestler, trainer, author and the founder of both The Wrestle Factory and Chikara. Quackenbush is best known as the patriarch of the Chikara family and his work on the independent circuit, the latter of which has spanned for over 15 years. He has written seven books: Fantastic Finishers (1998), Headquarters (2001), Secret Identity (2004), Chikara Yearbook (2002, 2004, 2009 and 2011). From 1998 to 2008, he penned a regular column for The Wrestler magazine entitled 'From Bell To Bell' and 'International Report' in Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Both Headquarters and Secret Identity were re-released as e-books for the Kindle in May 2010. He is also the host of the weekly video podcast entitled "Chikara Podcast–A–Go–Go". Quackenbush also hosts a non-wrestling related podcast called "The Grizzly Bear Egg Cafe" with his long-time friend, Fox News host Clayton Morris. In wrestling, Quackenbush is a former NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion and one half of the Chikara Campeones de Parejas with Jigsaw.