Roy Edward Take is the son of Mr. & Mrs. William Gottlieb Take, of 129 Springer Ave. in Edwardsville, IL. Roy attended local public schools in Edwardsville and completed two years at Edwardsville High School leaving after the semester in 1932. He left school and accepted a clerical position with Tri-City Grocery Company and was later manager of the South Buchanan St. store. It was during this time that Roy entered the Navy on January 2, 1942 and was stationed at Naval Station Great Lakes, north of Chicago, IL for training. After training, Machinist Mate Second Class Take was assigned to the destroyer USS Selfridge and was engaged in a naval battle north of Vella Lavella island. The USS Selfridge was with a group of destroyers on a mission to intercept the "Tokyo Express", a group of Japanese ships trying to reinforce their positions on Guadalcanal. The USS Selfridge engaged three enemy warships, destroying two, when she was struck by torpedoes. Two torpedoes ripped the bow from the ship, but surviving sailors managed to stop the flooding and the USS Selfridge was able to proceed to Port Purvis, Florida Island for repairs. Fifty-one sailors were killed and fourteen wounded. Machinist Mate First Class Roy E. Take posthumously received the Purple Heart. Besides his parents he is survived by four sisters and a brother. They are Mrs. Dorothy Bange, Mrs. Wilma Monical, Mrs. Edna Woodward, Ms. Gladys Take and Harold Take. A memorial service was held at Eden Evangelical Church, October 29, 1943 which Rev. H.J. Bredehoeft officiated. Machinist Mate First Class Take was 26 years, 9 months and 6 days of age.
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