WIESER-PAUL

The battleship USS NORTH CAROLINA (BB-55) was commissioned on April 9, 1941, and was awarded 15 battle stars for her service during World War II.  Since April 1962 she has been a museum ship in Wilmington, North Carolina.  A website maintained by the museum contains the following story concerning Paul Anthony Wieser:

 

LOVE STORY:  JEAN & PAUL WIESER

 

Jean Coddington and Paul Wieser grew up in the town of Linden, New Jersey, in a neighborhood where the only thing that separated their two houses was a picket fence.  Although Jean and Paul had the opportunity to go on a couple of dates before Paul joined the Navy in 1941, it was the exchange of letters that fostered their relationship and love.  When NORTH CAROLINA came to Pearl Harbor for repairs, Paul made a trip to the store on base to purchase Jean’s engagement and wedding rings.  Since two more years would pass before Paul would get to see Jean, he sent the two rings to his older brother and asked him to propose to Jean in his place.  In August of 1944, NORTH CAROLINA docked in Bremerton, Washington.  There she would stay for 60 days.  After two long years of being apart, this short break gave Paul the chance to be reunited with his sweetheart.  On Saturday, August 16, 1944, Paul and Jean were joined in marriage at St. Elizabeth’s Church in Linden, New Jersey.  The newlyweds then took off for their honeymoon in New York City.  After a three-night stay at the Hotel Imperial, the couple headed out for Washington.  Jean and Paul were able to spend another 30 days together before NORTH CAROLINA returned to the South Pacific.  When the ship left, Jean returned home.  She lived with her mother until Paul was discharged from the Navy in December 1946.  Jean passed away in 1957 and Paul followed in 2006 and has been buried at Culpeper National Cemetery in Virginia.  The Battleship’s collection includes the letters that Paul wrote Jean every day during the war.

 

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)