Community honors African American Navy veteran John Henry Turpin at post office renaming ceremony

BREMERTON — Everyone walking in the post office in downtown Bremerton will now see a plaque placed in the lobby with the name of John Henry Turpin, one of the first African American Chief Petty Officers in the U.S. Navy and a longtime Bremerton resident.

The U.S. Post Office at 602 Pacific Ave. has been renamed the John Henry Turpin Post Office Building, after a bill introduced by U.S. Sixth District Rep. Derek Kilmer became law in December 2020 to honor the service of the Navy veteran.

A ceremony was held on Thursday at the post office to install the plaque. Many with ties to Bremerton, the Navy, and the African American community attended the event.

Attendees included Kilmer, Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler, Bremerton Municipal Court Judge Tracy Flood, Suquamish Tribe Chairman Leonard Forsman, Executive Director of the Marvin Williams Center Dr. Lillian Lockett Robertson, as well as chief of staff for Gov. Jay Inslee Jamila Thomas and USPS Washington District Manager Pam Cook, who all spoke to honor Turpin's service.

"What I'm looking for is today, the day his name is on the building. And our kids ask who is that and why? And they Google search it," Thomas said, adding that it's very important for everyone, not just young people, to understand the history.

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Born in 1876, Turpin enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the age of 20 and had served in the Spanish-American War, World War I and the Boxer Rebellion. Turpin is credited with saving the lives of three officers and 12 sailors after the USS Bennington suffered a boiler explosion in 1905.

More than 100 people showed up at the ceremony to honor Turpin, who also worked as a master rigger at Puget Sound Navy Shipyard.

Kilmer thanked those who contributed to making the renaming a reality, and the community members who attended the event.

"You got a real sense of the degree to which people were invested in seeing this happen. And that makes today a special day," Kilmer said.

Turpin died in 1962. A memorial marker installed at Ivy Green Cemetery in 2017 was the first public recognition of his service, followed by the renaming of the post office in 2020.

The legislation was co-sponsored by the entire Washington State congressional delegation and passed unanimously in the House and the Senate before President Donald Trump signed the bill in December 2020, Kilmer said.

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"Just honored and proud to be a Bremertonian. This was a great day for us," said Mayor Greg Wheeler.

Wheeler said he will work with the local leadership to come up with future opportunities to recognize Turpin's legacy. For example, the celebration of Juneteenth may be an option since Bremerton City Council has passed an ordinance making Juneteenth a city holiday last year.

Flood highlighted the importance of Turpin being recognized in U.S. history and being honored in the city of Bremerton during Black History Month.

"The time is always right to do what is right," Flood said. "Even though he has passed away, giving honor to our leaders that were trailblazers and paved the way for us now is so important."

The plaque will forever carry the name of John Henry Turpin, USPS District Manager Pam Cook said.

"He will be forever honored and remembered as a man who with courage, strength and fortitude to meet a place in American history that inspires all of us," Cook said.

Reach breaking news reporter Peiyu Lin at pei-yu.lin@kitsapsun.com or on Twitter @peiyulintw.

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