George Hudson Elms Petty Officer 31st Naval Construction Battalion, US Navy July 1, 1904 New Glasgow, Pictou Co., NS 5 feet, 11½ inches Light Blue Brown August 21, 1945 39 Ridgelawn Cemetery, Watertown, Massachusetts George Hudson Elms was the son of William James Elms (1874-1950) and Maria Matilda (Wheeler) Elms (1887-1964). His father was born in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland, and his mother was born in Port Shoreham, Guysborough Co., NS. George emigrated from Canada on December 8, 1925, travelling by ferry from Yarmouth, NS to Boston, Mass. aboard the SS Prince George. He married Elsie (Beaton) Elms (1903-1968) on June 11, 1928, in Waterboro, Maine. Elsie was born in Prince Edward Island and moved to the US in 1922. Their one son, John (1934-2020), was born January 15, 1934, in Brighton, Mass. and they had a daughter, Martha May born April 5, 1940 in Waltham, Mass. George became a naturalized US citizen in 1937. When George completed his US Draft Registration February 15, 1942, he was living in Waterdown, Mass with his family and working for the Hood Rubber Company (Mixing) in Waterdown. George served as a ‘Seabee’ with the 31st Naval Construction Battalion. The Seabees got their nickname from the Construction Battalion abbreviated – CB. The 31st Spearhead Naval Construction Battalion, or 31st Seabees, served in Bermuda until October of 1943. After time stateside, and transfers to California, the unit then spent time in Hawaii, completing more training. Transferring via and Tinian, the Battalion landed on Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945. For Iwo Jima, the 31st was attached to the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions. His date of return to the United States is unclear, but Petty Officer Elms died in Chelsea, Massachusetts of malaria which he contracted at Iwo Jima.

Sources: 31st Construction Battalion

31st Naval Construction Battalion, US Navy (Iwo Jima) Unloading equipment on the beach at Iwo Jima