Age 24. 614 South Quincy Street, Green Bay, WI. Born 7/27/1918, Dubuque, IA. Died of carbon monoxide poisoning (death certificate). Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve. Was a naval ordnance student in special training at Harvard Business School, to graduate in January. In a foursome with Miss Paula Ahola (Born 12/06/1921. Died as Pauline S. Whippen on 10/11/1998, age 76. Last residence Hobe Sound, FL) and Miss Irja Jacobson (Born 11/24/1921. Died as Irja J. Sheppard on 10/20/2001, in Needham, MA, age 79), both age 21, both of Gloucester, MA, and a friend, Lieut. William "Bill" Roland, U.S. Army, age 25, of Gladstone, MI, also in special training at Harvard. Both men died, women survived. Group was seated at a table in the northwest corner of the cellar Melody Lounge where the fire started. Miss Jacobson (as Mrs. Irja Sheppard) told the 4/03/2000 Boston Herald that she recalled a busboy reaching "over her head" to change a light bulb. Busboy Stanley Tomaszewski, age 16 (Born 5/08/1926. Died 10/20/1994, age 68. Last residence Framingham, MA), identified the patron who unscrewed the bulb to Boston Police as, "...a man in a mixed party...," and at the city inquests: "...a sailor - I mean a soldier..." (inquest transcript, 11/30/1942). Patron and survivor in another party Miss Joyce Spector, age 18 (Born 4/16/1924. Died as Joyce Mekelburg on 4/18/2024, age 100), described the same corner group to the Boston Police on 12/01/1942 as: "...Two men and two women..." (never confirmed if this foursome was indeed that of Ensign Cobb). One of 60 "probable identifications" listed Sunday morning (8:00 a.m.) at Southern Mortuary (all male). Was recalled online (in January 2010): "My mother's fiancé, John C. Cobb, died in this fire. My mother was home in Green Bay, WI, with the flu...So, John took his roommate's fiancée to the football game and on to the Cocoanut Grove..." (www3.gendisasters.com). Also: "My mother never quit grieving for John, even after marrying my father..." Graduate of Phillips Academy, Andover, MA, 1937. Graduated Trumbell College (of Yale University) in 1941. "An outstanding athlete...he captained the basketball teams at...Andover and Yale" (Green Bay Press-Gazette, Green Bay, WI, 11/30/1942). Earned his naval commission the past March 11. Medium build (WWII draft registration, October '40: 5' 10," 150 lbs.). Parents Mr. and Mrs. Frederick L. and Marie R. (Flower) Cobb, same address. Burial at Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN. Middle name Clifford.

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