Hello everyone and Happy New Year!
Normally by the end of the year I send out a note with any accomplishments on Project Strong DD467 from the past year. Given that there's not much to report, it's a bit late. But there were a few things that I managed to cobble together and they will be as follows:
January - I sent a letter out to some people I thought might finally help me put the plaque in the water, people from Triton Subs mainly. I got a letter back expressing support for my efforts and they offered to speak with someone who could help me. I had hope for a bit that something might happen, but as the weeks went on, this died. So, I sally forth.....
February - Nothing of note.
March - The RV Petrel was hit by high winds at the drydock in Leith outside of Edinburgh, Scotland. She was heavily damaged. At this point in time she was and still is owned by the US Navy. Greg and I had a trip planned to Edinburgh and while there, hoped to get photos of the ship.
April - We did visit Edinburgh this month and on a trip to the HMS Brittania at Leith were able to see Petrel and take photographs. Unfortunately we couldn't get closer than the deck of Brittania, but it was a good experience. This ship, while lost to us is still the vessel that found Strong. She will always be a part of the history of this project.
May - Nothing of note.
June - On a trip to England with a cousin, I was able to visit my very first WW2 site in Coventry at St. Michael's Cathedral. The church was bombed during the Blitz in November of 1941 along with much of England. Munitions factories in the area made Coventry a target. There are very few original buildings standing, but some Tudor period structures survived. It was a wonderful and meaningful trip.
July - Petrel had been taken to Tampa, Florida for repairs. I tried to find news of the progress, but was unsuccessful.
August - Our friend Paul Mayer spoke and did a slide show of his career work at the Museum at Five Points in Cleveland, Tennessee. My friend Debra Watkins is the Curator of Collections and Education there and I introduced them a few months ago. It was a well attended event, including us, as it was the first time I'd ever had a chance to hear Paul speak publically about his work. I believe he will be called back again in the future.
September - I had a wonderful WhatsApp chat with Jimmy Carter, the volunteer from the South Pacific WW2 Museum with whom I've been working. He lives in Australia, and to me I geek out knowing that from Lexington I can speak with someone half way around the world on a cell phone! Anyway, we began laying the groundwork for getting the plaque to Espiritu Santo in 2024.
October - Nothing to report.
November - I started researching flights and costs, and inviting people who are interested in accompanying me to the South Pacific. It remains to be seen on all accounts. Not an easy jaunt!
December - We have a new Strong family member, Scott Misturini! His grandfather Mario Misturini was an Italian immigrant, came here at age 13. He was in his early 20s on the ship as a Fireman 2nd Class. I welcomed Scott and have shared the Strong histories with him and his family. My friend Julia Gimbel and some friends have started a podcast based on the history of women in WW2, World War S.H.E. (shared human experiences). I got an invitation to attend a symposium at the National World War 2 Museum in New Orleans February 29-March 1st, and am planning to go. While there I may be interviewed for the podcast and am very excited about that! I will share a link when it airs. There is also a possibility that Steve Harding's book The Last Battle will finally become a major motion picture. Shooting may begin in spring, but I will keep all posted on that. Good luck Steve, it's about time!
I'd really like to heartily thank all the family members that have stuck with me and with each other for the past several years of our contact since it began in 2011. Those of you who had family members on Strong DD467, those who were lost and those who survived know what we've all been through as a group and now an extended family. Some knew your men, some didn't, but we all know them now. I can't forget all the historians, researchers and wonderful shipwreck hunters (Paul and David) and authors (Steve) who have been on this journey with us. Without them, none of this would have been possible. You have become part of the family, too and will always be so. As 2024 begins, there are things that could and should happen for me to lay the project at rest. If I manage to pull off getting the plaque in a place of context, then I can come home and finish the book I started. And we're still holding out hope for a movie of The Castaway's War. I have a couple of angles to work and Steve Harding has his. We'll see who is successful first. A bottle of champagne or good Kentucky bourbon to the winner, how about it Steve?
A very Happy New Year to you all!
Tammi Johnson
Project USS Strong DD467
And a sad P.S.
I have some troubling news that kind of breaks my heart. Back in March I learned of and shared the information about the damage done when the RV Petrel was knocked over by high winds while in drydock at Leith Harbor, Edinburgh, Scotland. She sat there tilted over for months waiting for repairs. This summer they finally patched her up enough to send her to a shipyard on the west coast of Florida and I thought she would be repaired. Alas, it wasn't to be. The ship that discovered the wreck of USS Strong DD-467 and many others is in the process of being scrapped. Scrapped! I suppose the damage was too great, but it still hurts. If COVID hadn't happened I could have been on the ship in 2020 putting the plaque in the water. Now, I have other options to follow. That ship and her crew will always be special to me and the families. It's sad to see the Petrel go out this way.
Normally by the end of the year I send out a note with any accomplishments on Project Strong DD467 from the past year. Given that there's not much to report, it's a bit late. But there were a few things that I managed to cobble together and they will be as follows:
January - I sent a letter out to some people I thought might finally help me put the plaque in the water, people from Triton Subs mainly. I got a letter back expressing support for my efforts and they offered to speak with someone who could help me. I had hope for a bit that something might happen, but as the weeks went on, this died. So, I sally forth.....
February - Nothing of note.
March - The RV Petrel was hit by high winds at the drydock in Leith outside of Edinburgh, Scotland. She was heavily damaged. At this point in time she was and still is owned by the US Navy. Greg and I had a trip planned to Edinburgh and while there, hoped to get photos of the ship.
April - We did visit Edinburgh this month and on a trip to the HMS Brittania at Leith were able to see Petrel and take photographs. Unfortunately we couldn't get closer than the deck of Brittania, but it was a good experience. This ship, while lost to us is still the vessel that found Strong. She will always be a part of the history of this project.
May - Nothing of note.
June - On a trip to England with a cousin, I was able to visit my very first WW2 site in Coventry at St. Michael's Cathedral. The church was bombed during the Blitz in November of 1941 along with much of England. Munitions factories in the area made Coventry a target. There are very few original buildings standing, but some Tudor period structures survived. It was a wonderful and meaningful trip.
July - Petrel had been taken to Tampa, Florida for repairs. I tried to find news of the progress, but was unsuccessful.
August - Our friend Paul Mayer spoke and did a slide show of his career work at the Museum at Five Points in Cleveland, Tennessee. My friend Debra Watkins is the Curator of Collections and Education there and I introduced them a few months ago. It was a well attended event, including us, as it was the first time I'd ever had a chance to hear Paul speak publically about his work. I believe he will be called back again in the future.
September - I had a wonderful WhatsApp chat with Jimmy Carter, the volunteer from the South Pacific WW2 Museum with whom I've been working. He lives in Australia, and to me I geek out knowing that from Lexington I can speak with someone half way around the world on a cell phone! Anyway, we began laying the groundwork for getting the plaque to Espiritu Santo in 2024.
October - Nothing to report.
November - I started researching flights and costs, and inviting people who are interested in accompanying me to the South Pacific. It remains to be seen on all accounts. Not an easy jaunt!
December - We have a new Strong family member, Scott Misturini! His grandfather Mario Misturini was an Italian immigrant, came here at age 13. He was in his early 20s on the ship as a Fireman 2nd Class. I welcomed Scott and have shared the Strong histories with him and his family. My friend Julia Gimbel and some friends have started a podcast based on the history of women in WW2, World War S.H.E. (shared human experiences). I got an invitation to attend a symposium at the National World War 2 Museum in New Orleans February 29-March 1st, and am planning to go. While there I may be interviewed for the podcast and am very excited about that! I will share a link when it airs. There is also a possibility that Steve Harding's book The Last Battle will finally become a major motion picture. Shooting may begin in spring, but I will keep all posted on that. Good luck Steve, it's about time!
I'd really like to heartily thank all the family members that have stuck with me and with each other for the past several years of our contact since it began in 2011. Those of you who had family members on Strong DD467, those who were lost and those who survived know what we've all been through as a group and now an extended family. Some knew your men, some didn't, but we all know them now. I can't forget all the historians, researchers and wonderful shipwreck hunters (Paul and David) and authors (Steve) who have been on this journey with us. Without them, none of this would have been possible. You have become part of the family, too and will always be so. As 2024 begins, there are things that could and should happen for me to lay the project at rest. If I manage to pull off getting the plaque in a place of context, then I can come home and finish the book I started. And we're still holding out hope for a movie of The Castaway's War. I have a couple of angles to work and Steve Harding has his. We'll see who is successful first. A bottle of champagne or good Kentucky bourbon to the winner, how about it Steve?
A very Happy New Year to you all!
Tammi Johnson
Project USS Strong DD467
And a sad P.S.
I have some troubling news that kind of breaks my heart. Back in March I learned of and shared the information about the damage done when the RV Petrel was knocked over by high winds while in drydock at Leith Harbor, Edinburgh, Scotland. She sat there tilted over for months waiting for repairs. This summer they finally patched her up enough to send her to a shipyard on the west coast of Florida and I thought she would be repaired. Alas, it wasn't to be. The ship that discovered the wreck of USS Strong DD-467 and many others is in the process of being scrapped. Scrapped! I suppose the damage was too great, but it still hurts. If COVID hadn't happened I could have been on the ship in 2020 putting the plaque in the water. Now, I have other options to follow. That ship and her crew will always be special to me and the families. It's sad to see the Petrel go out this way.
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