Over the decades (27 years now) of having this project online with the website (13 years, started in June 2012), so many people helped me every step of the way in my research and teaching me how to get things done. It goes without saying that without the involvement and relationships developed through the USS STRONG DD467/758 Association, that none of this would have been possible. But outside of that group, there were so many more that if they had turned me away when I had questions, I’m not sure if I ever would have accomplished what I set out to do. I’d like to bring attention to some of these people; some I have written about previously, and some I have not. I can never pretend that I did this on my own. Sure, I may have started it. But it would not have happened if others didn’t believe in what I was trying to do. I’d like very much to highlight their efforts. There is too much to do in one blog, it may take some time. The best way I can do this is to write about a few people at a time and post blogs up every few weeks with new stories. This way I can thank them with a few words, and you can see how I managed to pull this off. And if the universe is on my side, I hope to have other news to share with you at some point this year.
I know I’ve mentioned the late David McComb, creator of the amazing Destroyer History website. I found Dave’s site in 2010 and learned so much about destroyers and more about the history of STRONG. It was in developing this relationship with Dave that I first began forming the notion of writing a book. For four years he never failed to share information with me any time I emailed. He always responded and had ideas and clues to follow, other people to contact and was always helpful. It was his link to my project website that led Stephen Harding to me in July of 2013. With his death in July of 2014, even though we never met in person I felt I had lost a valuable friend in research. His lovely wife Meredith saw to it that the website stayed alive and most recently it has been turned over to the Tin Can Sailor organization to manage. His legacy of research into destroyers of all kinds lives on as a premier site to learn about the history of these ships. Dave lives on through this site and the world continues to learn from his decades of work. I highly recommend a click on the link, you will learn much. Don’t forget to click on the page about Dave. He was a truly remarkable man.
Once I had an inkling of starting this project, I had hoped to pull in a few family members to see if I could gather information and just learn if anyone else would want to be involved. I couldn’t have imagined the how good fortune would shine on me at that time (the actual results over time blew me away). To that end, Dave recommended a website called hullnumber.com. On there I found a short listing of a few STRONG family members with their emails, among them Andy Hoder in early 2010. I sent emails out and Andy was the only one who responded back. This was the beginning of a very long-lasting and wonderful friendship. Andy’s father Stanley Hoder had been on the NEVADA when it was hit in Pearl Harbor. Having survived that, he was later assigned to STRONG. Stanley was a BM1c (Boatswain’s mate 1st class) on the ship. I’m not sure if you call it lucky, but the man survived 2 shipwrecks, and it forever changed him, as these things do. Andy has shared stories with me and Greg over the years since we first met in person in Gatlinburg at the reunion in 2012. He’s been instrumental in pushing me at times when my doubts got in the way and in helping provide research materials, books, films and so much more! I know if I receive something I didn’t order online that it’s probably another book or something from Andy. I owe him so much for this friendship and his faith in me. We’ve enjoyed some great adventures at the reunions, and I just wish he didn’t live so far away. Even still, I hope the friendship lasts a few more years and that this is not truly the end of all events tied to STRONG and the project. Time will tell.
When my great aunt Stella was alive (bless her, she was so good to me), she told me so many stories about Billy and their childhood, and this is all included in my book manuscript and some on the website. But from Stella, I learned of other first cousins of my father, nieces and nephews of my uncle Billy who would tremendously contribute to my knowledge of him by generously donating personal items they found in their mother’s closet. This would be Jim Ansley, Lilith Francis and the late Norine Altman. Their mother Lillian (nickname “Toots”) had passed away and at first, they sent some items to Stella, including the first letter I ever got that was handwritten by Billy on ship’s stationary (there’s a story there in my blogs and in the book). Stella forwarded that letter to me as she knew what I hoped to accomplish. I got Jim’s contact information from Stella and called him and asked if they had any other items or photographs, and he assured me he would contact me if they found something to share. Shortly after he found another box previously unseen in his mother’s closet and contacted me, offering it to me after checking with his sisters. Blown away by their generosity, I drove to O’Fallon, Illinois and picked it up. The box included handwritten poems, certificates of achievement from high school, military service documents, another letter and so much more. From these items I learned so much more about the young man Billy was, and thankfully one of the poems was one Stella had mentioned to me – a poem she remembered, but did not know what happened to it. The poem is prescient, in that it describes a death at sea; it’s as if he knew he would not return home. I hope to include this in the book in the appendix with other personal documents. These precious documents gave me more incentive and the drive to push forward in any way I could. As time went on, I grew more determined. And at this point back in 2010, I was just getting started!
Next issue in a few weeks.......
Tammi
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