While floating in the South Pacific, John held on to his father's bible as long as possible.

John Earle McCombs Jr. was born on March 11, 1922, in Santa Clara County, California, to Mr. and Mrs. John McCombs. John and his brother, Claude, attended local schools and in September 1937, he entered Santa Cruz High School. In school McCombs specialized in a trade and industrial course, while outside of school his special interest was hunting and fishing. McCombs left Santa Cruz High School in December 1941.

On January 5, 1942, John McCombs joined the US Navy. As a going away present his father gave him the bible which he had carried through World War I to serve as a source of inspiration and safe keeping for his son.

Seaman Recruit McCombs received his boot training at Treasure Island in San Francisco followed by advanced training at another location within California.

In October 1942, John was assigned to the USS Benham in Pearl Harbor and was aboard that ship when Japanese surface vessels off of Savo Island bombarded it. When it sank, John was cast adrift in his life jacket with the few items he was able to salvage. When rescue was late in arriving, he found it necessary to begin discarding items in order to save his strength. The last item to sink to the bottom was his father's bible. Shortly afterwards rescue vessels appeared, and he was taken aboard.

After a brief recovery period, McCombs was assigned to the USS Helena and returned to duty off the Solomon Islands. While there he saw action at Guadalcanal, Munde and Kula Gulf.

The end of the Helena came in July 1943, when it was torpedoed off New Georgia Island in the Solomons and sank. This time, John Earle McCombs Jr. was unable to survive and went over the side to his death. His body was never recovered. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery. His awards include the Purple Heart.

(ABMC; SCHSC Pg. 12; DANFS, USS Helena CL-50; SCR May 7, 1943 -6, July 30, 1943 - 5)