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A. L. Sherrer was born on August 16, 1917 in Nelson, Oklahoma. That winter his family moved to Snow, Oklahoma. He attended school in Antlers, Oklahoma, and graduated from Antlers High School. Mr. Sherrer joined the Navy in January 1940.
After boot camp Mr. Sherrer was trained as a barber. He was then sent to Pearl Harbor for duty aboard the USS Houston. One of his duties aboard the USS Houston during battle stations was to man an 8" gun. After a year the ship went to Marie Island Naval Ship Yard in Valejo, California where the USS Houston had an overhaul. Following the overhaul, the ship sailed for Manila to relieve the USS San Francisco. Mr. Sherrer was then transferred to the USS Marblehead because they needed a barber.
Mr. Sherrer was in the munitions area where the three-inch ammunition cart was located when the USS Marblehead was attacked. Three or four other sailors and Mr. Sherrer were sending up ammunition on a pulley and line to the guns. (They did not have an automated hoist.) One of the sailors was Joe Dalute, a tailor. When they were escaping up the ladder, Joe was caught on the tripod on the ladder. Water and fuel were coming in. Joe was a big, heavy man, but he finally got through. The Marblehead was lucky to stay afloat. It had 28 compartments flooded.
Mr. Sherrer then moved to Oregon where he married Pennie Wright in 1949, with whom he had his first son, Larry. Then the Korean conflict erupted. Mr. Sherrer was called to duty and proceeded to San Diego, California. He served aboard the USS Manuel. He went to Cuba for gunnery training, then through the Panama Canal to South Boston Naval Yard for discharge in 1952 with the rank of Ships Serviceman.
Following the Korean conflict Mr. Sherrer had his second son, Jerry, in 1953. He moved back to Swiss Home, Oregon, to his barber shop. He also had a partnership in a fishing lodge. He stayed there until 1956 when they moved to Prineville, Oregon, and opened up the City Barber Shop in the Veterans Building. Mr. Sherrer stayed there for 37 years, then semi-retired. He spent a couple of winters in northern Mexico and Arizona before cancer claimed the life of his wife Pennie in 1997. He spent the next year in Prineville, Oregon, around friends, his son Jerry, and family. He became close to his companion, Wanda Mays, a long time family friend. They are snowbirds and spend winters in their home in Yuma, Arizona, and summers at their home in Prineville. He is still a part-time barber. Mr. Sherrer has four grandchildren and one great granddaughter.
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