Here is a short run down on Dad/Grandpa’s time in the Navy. I can’t imagine what an adventure this was for a 17 year old kid from Butte! I may edit this more later, but thought I would push it out in recognition of Veteren’s Day.
7 December 1941 Bombing of Pearl Harbor
28 May 1945 William James Rule applied for enlistment in USNR in Butte
On 28 May 1945 dad completed his application for enlistment. He was 17 years old. Grandpa had to give parental consent for him to enlist.
On 11 June 1945 Formal enlistment in the US Naval Reserve in Helena
6 and 9 August 1945 U.S. Bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki
insert information here, maybe a clip from the navy article1
Called to Active Duty
Specific instructions to report for active duty were received on 18 August 1945 in Butte. He left for Helena on 23 August 1945 at 0030, and reported to the Naval Recruiting Station at 8:00 a.m. where he was examined and found physically qualified to serve. At 9:15 our 17-year-old father reported for active duty.
From Helena he was transferred to the Naval Training Center in San Diego.
Basic Training
Dad graduated from basic training, as a qualified rifle marksman and a swimmer third class. He had been given gas mask instruction and instruction in a gas chamber. He was granted 5 days leave and 6 days travel time to report to the Shoemaker, California, training and distribution center where he received a promotion to seaman second class and awaited transportation to Japan.
2 September 1945
United States accepts Japanese Surrender
2 December 1945 William James Rule appears on the muster roll of the USS Biloxi.
The USS Biloxi sailed from San Francisco on 2 December 1945. On board were 17 Naval Officers and 642 Enlisted men bound for Okinawa.
USS Biloxi (CL-80) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that served in the Pacific from 1944 to the end of the war. She participated on raids on several Japanese held islands and assisted in the invasion of several of these islands.
When the Japanese surrender ended the war, and the Biloxi was used to transport liberated POWs from Nagasaki. She then joined the occupation fleet and transported troops between Japan and San Francisco.
The muster list not only contains Dad’s name, but it also lists Vern T. Smith, another Butte kid. Verne was the witness on mom and dad’s marriage license. The entire muster list for that crossing is embedded below, you can scroll through it or download.
26 December 1945 William Rule reported to the Port Director at Wakayama, Japan
I am not exactly sure what dad did while he was in Wakayama, but he did receive a rate change to S1c or Seaman 1st Class.
20 May 1946 William Rule reported to the commander of fleet activities in Yokosuka, Japan
I have dad’s photo album from his time spent in Japan. You can see the entire album by following this link.
https://mmrj.smugmug.com/Dads-Navy-Album/
Here are a few of my favorites. The white stripe at the top of his left sleeve signifies that he is a Seaman 1st class. I love the pictures with the many girls!
15 June 1946 transferred to Bremerton, Washington for discharge
My Dad completed his final discharge papers on 9 July 1946. He earned the Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. 
From the 1946 Butte High Yearbook
