The NavSource Naval History site is a comprehensive source for US Naval ships. The site is run entirely by volunteers. Here is NavSource’s information on the Calvert:
Condolences to the family of Lenoard “Len” Francis Eck. Leonard passed away on March 27th, 2013 at the age of 89. He served aboard the USS Calvert during 1945/46 while the Calvert was assigned to service near Shanghai, China. Prior to his time aboard the Calvert, Leonard served aboard the USS Freemont (APA-44) for most of the war.
From Leonard’s son, Glenn C. Eck, of Philadelphia PA: “My father, Leonard Francis Eck, passed away on March 27th, 2013 aged 89 years, in his hometown of York, PA. He was able-bodied and healthy until the end. A wonderful father and a wonderful man, he spoke often of his service aboard both the USS Fremont and the USS Calvert during WWII. Although he was not online himself, he enjoyed the Calvert website very much when he had opportunities to view it.”
Here is Leonard’s online obituary at Legacy.com. You may contact Glenn directly via email.
This chart was hand-drawn by Walter “Fred” Cox on the day that the Calvert, part of the US Navy’s Gilbert Operation’s Northern Task Group, crossed the Equator and International Dateline. From Ronnie Cox: “My dad drew that diagram on that day to commemorate the occasion. He couldn’t mail it home because the censors would have confiscated it so he brought it back with him after the war. Sadly Dad passed away in 1967 but I have the original document in my possession.”
The Calvert is listed near the center of the diagram (upper-right quadrant).
Ronnie Cox’s father, Walter “Fred” Cox (RdM), was a Radarman on the Calvert during WWII. Here is a picture of the Calvert’s radar men from Ronnie’s photograph collection. Annotations are based on the writing on the back of the photograph (also provided by Ronnie). The officer in the middle of the back row was not named. Notice the bright white “Dixie Cup” caps, compared to the grey/blue dyed caps in many of the other WWII-era crew photographs.
Standing rear: Barr | Robert E. Randle, RdM3c | Unknown Officer | Vernon R. Witthans, RdM2c(T) | Fred Cox RdM2c
Kneeling front: Wendell R. Sharpe, RdM3c | Benjamin Sklar, RdM2c(T) | Curits W. Killion, RdM2c
Fred Cox is wearing a life vest around his waist, and it is likely that he was “on duty” on the bridge at the time the picture was taken. Fred served aboard the Calvert from its very first deployment all the way to early August of 1945 when he went on leave. While he was on leave the war ended, and though he had to go back to California to muster-out, he never returned to the Calvert. Fred died in 1967.