LCDR Peter James (Jimmy) Pate-Bishop USN
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Jimmy joined the USN in 1928 and spent 10 years on the China Station before moving to the Philippines just before the outbreak of
the Pacific War. His first boat was the S39 in 1940. As the Japanese moved south so the American Fleet moved south, eventually to
Fremantle in Western Australia and then Brisbane in Queensland. The S39 was credited with sinking of the Japanese tanker WRIMU
of 6500 tons and of damage to several other ships. She carried out 5 patrols in the Pacific area until she was lost when she went
aground on Rossel Island, all the crew were were rescued by HMAS Katoomba. Jimmy then joined the USS Skipjack and after several
patrols he was transferred to the maintenance staff in Brisbane. He then went back ti the States at the Georgia Institute of Technology
until August 1945. He was awarded the Unit Citation and the Purple Heart.
After the war Jimmy cam back to Australia and spent most of his time in Queensland. He had several businesses (mostly engineering),
a boxing tent travelling mostly in North Queensland and the Northern Territory, plus he ran the baseball competition in Brisbane.
Jimmy was married three times. The first time was in China (whom he continued to visit and support until she passed away). His last
visit to China was a disaster, he was very excited about going and bought himself a video camera so that he could show (and very
proudly so) his extended family in China. Several of his sons were very high ranking officers in the Chinese Army and they had helped
Jimmy get into China during the height of the Cold War. Just prior to his departure his Chinese wife passed away, and when he
arrived these sons wanted to know where their mother's support money was. When he told them that it was stopped when she died,
they then gave him 24 hours to get out of the country. He arrived back in Australia less than a week after he had left. Jimmy took a
long time to get over the treatment his sons had given him.
Jimmy was very much involved in the RSL movement and was awarded the Gold Award for 50 years service. He was President of the
Bribie RSL for many years. His association with the Submarine Association Australia began in 1981 and he was one of the original
members of the Queensland Branch and was President for two years. He was one of our representatives at the launch of HMAS
Collins in Adelaide.
In his later years he was often seen around Bribie Island in his blue Suzuki 4 Wheel Drive until the police thretened to confiscate it
because he could not pass the driving test due to his eye-sight. He then bought one of the electric scooters to get around, and was
warned it would be banned unless he stopped speeding.
Over the last few years he was never forgotten and would be pleased to be at any BBQ, where he enjoyed his scotch (and anyone
else's).
God Bless You Jimmy