USS Houston CA-30 Guestbook
Sign Guestbook Back to USS Houston CA-30
| Date | 2008-08-31 |
| Location |  |
| Message | I just saw the KLRU program; thought that I was going to just flip thru channels while I grabbed a late lunch (10 min. max) and I ended up 'living and reliving' this with the survivors and their families. My father was an airman having beginnings of service in Army Air Corps and then the Air Force- his name was George T. McGehee (a Houstonian) - we lost him in October 2007. Popa was many years in the 'business' of finding first hand accounts of all battles of WWII and has such an extensive collection that his daughters are so proud of. Everything seems so much more vital for me, especially now, as I carry on his love and respect for his fellow service-men and women. I wish we would have celebrated the USS Houston reunion along side you guys.... perhaps I will sometime. Thanks for a great job on the film... "I'd heard about you guys!" jmj |
| Date | 2008-08-26 |
| Location | |
| Message | As a member of the Jesse Paul Gilleland family, Water Tender on the Houston I have uncovered a few facts of interest. In the book "Ships Of Ghosts", it mentions when Capt.Rook died on deck near the exploded gun that he was held by one of the china men. There were two china stewards on the Captains personal staff. As Jesse Paul Gilleland swam around in the waters from 1 am till about 10 the next day, he ran up on one of the china men.He was standing on a something and was asked what are you standing on, the china man said .."ME DON'T Know, Me no swim", He aske Gilleland to stay with him , but Mr. Gilleland said that guns were shooting all around them and he would go to a safer place. Later in the day, when the Japs picked up Gilleland, the china man was on the small boat with 12 people. After that Mr. Gilleland never found the china man again,but he did survive the sinking. Another interesting fact I just learned was that early in capitivity, about the first 3 months, In the book , "Ships of Ghosts", it mentions that 50 Americans were picked, based on their health, to go to Hakodate POW camp in Japan to work in coal mines. Jesse Paul Gilleland, along with 4 officers, and 45 other men of Houston and Marines were shipped out and never heard of till after 15 August 1945. Then a few weeks later were found when they closed Camp. Interestingly, there were only 2 that died there and they died being transported up there. Again, Kalinosky was with Gilleland again. Thank you |
| Date | 2008-08-25 |
| Location | |
| Message | I am a family member of the Next Generation of USS Houston. I have just completed reading the book "Ship Of Ghosts", and I think it was a very well written book. All of the facts are very accurate and reveals much insite into what our family member went through. I urge all to read it. Also, if your a member of Kalonaski, Robert , Rogers and Fowler, our family member Jesse Paul Gilleland was swimming with these people from 1 a.m. till mid morning after the sinking. Also, Kalonaski was picked up on the same Japenese small boat and carried to the Tanker. The Tanker was later sunk by US submarine and the pows. picked up by a destroyer. I think all mentioned in this story survived pow life. Also, in his recordings of the sinking he mentions C.V. May,, a warrant officer. I have first hand recordings of Jesse Paul Gilleland, Water Tender on the Houston at the nite of the sinking. He passed away with heart problems at the age of 86 and lived a very successful life in Georgia. He spent many of his retired years speaking to schools about the war. Highway 78 from Atlanta to Loganville was named in his honor. Thank you |
| Date | 2008-08-23 |
| Location | |
| Message | Hello, This is Don Kehn, Jr., the "historian" with the Cruiser HOUSTON Survivors Association. I am gratified that so many folks saw the PBS documentary. Y'all may be pleased to know the show has been nominated for a regional Emmy Award. It is also going to be entered in a film festival next month under the documentary category. We all owe Jim Fisher & company (Matt B. & Fujio) a debt of gratitude for their fine work in putting that tribute together. I would also like to mention that my book on the Asiatic Fleet destroyer USS Edsall (DD-219) entitled "A Blue Sea of Blood" [published by Zenith Press] is coming along in the editorial process, and is scheduled to be in warehouses Nov 2008 & bookstores Dec 2008. It is worth noting that many falsehoods have been built up over the past 66 years around the story of EDSALL, and unfortunately in some areas these errors continue to be perpetuated. Please be aware that my book will clarify most if not all of the Mysteries concerning EDSALL's fate, and that currently the facts at most naval websites are simply WRONG. NEVER accept the details recorded at any naval history, warship, or other related site as entirely accurate. (Least of all Wikipedia or Navsource!) In Dec 08 my book should--the Good Lord willin'--be released, after an exhaustive project of four years with research stretching from the US to Holland and on to New Zealand and Japan, at which time many errors will be rectified. Please be patient. It's worth it!  |
| Date | 2008-08-23 |
| Location | |
| Message | Hello, This is Don Kehn, Jr., the "historian" with the Cruiser HOUSTON Survivors Association. I am glad so many folks saw the PBS documentary. Y'all may be pleased to know the show has been nominated for a regional Emmy Award. It is also going to be entered in a film festival next month under the documentary category. We all owe Jim Fisher & company (Matt B. & Fujio) a debt of gratitude for their fine work in putting that tribute together. I would also like to mention that my book on the Asiatic Fleet destroyer USS Edsall (DD-219)entitled "A Blue Sea of Blood" [published by Zenith Press] is coming along in the editorial process, and is scheduled to be in warehouses in Nov 2008 & bookstores Dec 2008. It is worth noting that many errors & falsifications have been built up over the past 66 years around the story of EDSALL, and unfortunately in some areas these falsehoods continue to be perpetuated. Please be aware that my book will clarify most if not all of the Mysteries concerning EDSALL's fate, and that currently the facts at most naval websites are simply WRONG. This includes Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Navsource, Hyperwar, among others. Do not accept all of the details recorded at these sites as accurate. In December my book should--the Good Lord willin'--be released, after a four-year long project with research stretching from the US to Holland and on to New Zealand and Japan, and at which time many errors will be rectified. Thanks |
| Date | 2008-08-05 |
| Location | |
| Message | In 2002, I wrote my college thesis on the Houston. I was honored to correspond with and meet some of the survivors when I attended the memorial cermonies in 2002 and 2003. My mom's cousin was killed when the gun turrent exploded the month prior to the ship sinking. Thank you for keeping the memory of this ship alive. |
| Date | 2008-07-31 |
| Location | |
| Message | I saw the program on PBS. The story of this ship, the heroic actions of the crew and the sad story of the POW camp should always be remembered and told. The Japanese Government should pay the famalies for the wrongful deaths and for the work done on the rail road by all of their POWs. God Bless the U.S. A. Barry Avery |
| Date | 2008-07-22 |
| Location | |
| Message | My father, Jack L. Smith, was a USS Houston survivor. Recently I was going through some of my dad's Naval papers and was reminded of your website. Thank you for keeping their memories alive. My uncle, Leo Bird, was a Houston survivor too. He and my dad spent much of their POW time together. They were both California boys, and when they were released and brought home to the U.S., they landed in New York. Having no family on the east coast, Leo found out that his sister, Doris, was in the Army and stationed at the Pentagon. He called her up and she came to the city to welcome him home. The first in the family to see him in nearly 5 years. They went out on the town to celebrate his homecoming and that's when he introduced her to his buddy, Jack. A few dates later and it was off to Las Vegas to get married! My dad in his Navy uniform and my mom in her Army uniform. That was their wedding photo. It always reminded me of one of those 1940's movies. My mother, Doris Smith, was an ardent supporter of the ex-pow and Houston organizations and went on several trips to Australia and the site of the railroad and prison camps. She passed away in 2005. I am very interested in what you are doing, and appreciate all your hard work and dedication. Thank you. |
Private Message added 2008-07-10 |
| Date | 2008-06-15 |
| Location | |
| Message | JOHN (JACK) HOOD WAS MY FIRST COUSIN~ HE AND I WERE IN THE NAVY AT THE SAME TIME~I WAS A WAVE~I HAVE A PICTURE OF US TOGETHER IN UNIFORM WHEN WE WERE IN DES MOINES ON LEAVE AFTER HE GOT OUT OF PRISON CAMP~IN FACT, HIS SISTER, ALBERTA ,TOLD ME IT WAS ON DISPLAY AT HIS FUNERAL~ WE HAD WAITED SO LONG TO GET WORD OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO JOHN (JACK) DURING THAT TERRIBLE TIME~ AND I HAVE NEWSPAPER CLIPPING ABOUT IT ~I HAVE ALWAYS KEPT A SCRAPBOOK ON HIM AND THE USS HOUSTON~ THE LAST WEEK I HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS ON THE INTERNET RESEARCHING FOR THINGS I MIGHT HAVE MISSED~AND UPDATES~ SO HAPPY TO FIND "VAL'S" STORY ABOUT JOHNS (JACKS)LACK OF A HAIR DRYER IN HIS ROOM~I REMEMBER BEING TOLD ABOUT HOW HE USED TO MAKE THAT DRIVE ALONE FROM DES MOINES TO HOUSTON FOR THE REUNIONS~~THEY MEANT SO MUCH TO HIM~ I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA BUT WAS BORN AND RAISED IN IOWA~AND SPENT MANY HAPPY HOURS IN DES MOINES WITH THE HOODS ,ETC~ I TALKED TO HIS SISTER, ALBERTA, YESTERDAY AND SHE TOLD ME ABOUT HOW SHE HAD SPENT THANKSGIVING WITH HIM AT HIS HOUSE~AND HOW HE INJOYED IT, DISPITE ALL THE MEDICAL PROBLEMS HE WAS HAVING~ SHE WATCHED THE FOOTBALL GAME WITH HIM~THE NEXT DAY HE DIED~ I HAVE GONE ON AND ON~SO I WILL QUIT~IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION THAT I MIGHT HAVE THAT YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN FROM HIS SISTERS I WOULD GLADLY SUPPLY IT ~ YOU ALL CAN BE PROUD OF HOW YOU ARE KEEPING "THE USS HOUSTON STORY" ALIVE~ MARY ISABELL(STRAIT) STRATTON mistratton2@aol.com |
Page 1 of 13 1 2 3 4 > Last >>
| This free guestbook is provided by UltraGuest.com |