Irvine, Arthur S.

Arthur S. Irvine

Early Life

Arthur Sturgis Irvine was born on February 22, 1895, in Rye, New York, the son of Benjamin D'Arcy Irvine and Annie Jane Stephens. Raised in Rye, he grew up in a well-established local family and lived at 82 Purchase Street as a young man, remaining closely tied to the community throughout his early life.

By 1917, Irvine was employed as a plumber’s helper, a position reflecting the demands of a rapidly modernizing region. He later advanced into work as an electrician, demonstrating a transition into the increasingly important mechanical and electrical trades that underpinned early twentieth-century infrastructure and technology.

World War I Service

Irvine entered naval service on September 17, 1917, at the New York Navy Yard as a member of the United States Naval Reserve Force. He was sent for specialized technical training, first at Columbia University in New York and then at the Harvard Radio School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he was trained in electrical systems and radio communication—fields that were rapidly evolving and critical to modern naval warfare.

He served as a Landsman Electrician (Radio) and later advanced to Electrician, 3rd Class, reflecting both his technical proficiency and the Navy’s reliance on skilled specialists to operate and maintain complex equipment.

Irvine was assigned to Sub Chaser No. 138 (USS SC-138), one of a large class of small, fast vessels developed by the United States Navy to combat the German U-boat threat during World War I. These sub chasers were a key component of the Allied naval strategy in the Battle of the Atlantic, a prolonged campaign aimed at protecting vital shipping lanes from submarine attack.

Sub chasers like SC-138 operated in coordinated patrols and convoy escort missions, using early hydrophone listening devices to detect submerged submarines and relying heavily on radio communication to relay information and coordinate responses. As a trained radio electrician, Irvine was responsible for maintaining and operating this essential equipment, ensuring reliable communication between vessels and command structures in an environment where technological failure could have serious consequences.

While no specific individual combat engagements are recorded for Irvine, his service placed him directly within the operational framework of anti-submarine warfare during a critical phase of the war.

He served through the Armistice of November 11, 1918, and continued in duty until being released to inactive status on September 27, 1919.

Life After Service

Following his military service, Irvine returned to civilian life and continued to apply his technical skills. He worked as an inspector for the Electrolux Corporation in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, a role that reflected his expertise in electrical systems and quality control.

He remained closely connected to his home community and was an active member of the Rye Fire Department, contributing to local public safety. He was also a member of Mamaroneck Lodge, F. & A.M., and a communicant of Christ Church in Greenwich, reflecting his engagement in both civic and fraternal organizations.

Arthur Sturgis Irvine died on August 1, 1948, at Greenwich Hospital at the age of fifty-three.

At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Alice Johnson Irvine; one son, Arthur S. Irvine Jr.; two daughters, Anne L. and Barbara J. Irvine; two brothers; and one sister.

He was buried in Greenwich, Connecticut, concluding a life marked by technical skill, community service, and participation in one of the most technologically transformative periods of naval warfare.