Sioux City Youth Probably Viewed Historic Parley
Jack Montagne, 521 Pierce street, hopes to get some “inside” information soon on the recent conferences at sea between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Mr. Montagne’s son, John William Montagne, 18, is a sailor aboard the U. S. S. Augusta, the cruiser on which some of the meetings between the heads of the two great nations took place. Mr. Montagne expects a letter from his son in the next few days.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, Monday, August 18, 1941
Sioux Cityan at F.D.R. Churchill Sea Conference
John W. Montagne Was Aboard Augusta, Parley Ship
The grandchildren of John William Montagne, if and when they are born, probably will be interested in hearing first-hand the story of that famous interview of President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill at sea in 1941.
Young Bill, 18-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Montagne, was aboard the Augusta, United States battleship, when the president and the British prime minister met in their sensational conference a few months ago.
Montagne, who has been in the navy a year, has been home on leave. He left Wednesday night to rejoin his ship.
He related that the sailors aboard the Augusta heard rumors while the ship was being conditioned at Brooklyn that the chief executive planned to sail with them. The Sioux City youth saw the historic meeting of the American and British governmental heads and frequently saw Roosevelt taking the air on the Augusta forecastle. With the other Augusta seaman he prepared boxes of cigarets, cheese, oranges and apples for the British sailors of the Prime of Wales, which carried Churchill to the conference.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, November 6, 1941
Sioux City Youth on Cruiser Reported Sunk By Japanese
Anxiety for the safety of his son gripped Jack Montagne, Park hotel, as he read a communiqué issued by imperial headquarters at Tokyo of the torpedoing of the United States cruiser Augusta off the Java coast.
Mr. Montagne said that John William Montagne, his 18-year-old son, was a member of the crew. So far he has heard nothing from the navy department, he said.
John joined the navy a year and a half ago. His last letter was received here February 18.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, March 5, 1942
