Sign Guestbook Back to USS Houston CA-30
| 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 |
| Date | 2008-05-25 |
| Location | |
| Message | i know a houston survivor in norfolk,va-stanley woody-he and his son are acquaintances of mine and a few friends who meet monhtly at bunnys restaurant-please let me know if you would like his contact info and also was curious how many living survivors there are and if there are any others in the md/dc/va area. a great website-thank you to all veterans on this memorial day for your service in world war 2. |
| Date | 2008-05-25 |
| Location | |
| Message | i am a navy veteran of vietnam having served aboard the uss yorktown cvs 10.i have just finished reading the book the ship of ghosts; its the best history of that tragic battle it the early days of the war and ehat those sailors and marines had to go through.when i was in vietnam we were in those same waters .she was a gallant ship and may all their gallant souls rest beneath the waves. phil elsner photo mate third class ,ret |
| Date | 2008-05-24 |
| Location | |
| Message | I saw the incredible story of the brave men of the USS Houston and their ordeal. If you have not seen it, I urge you to find a way to get PBS to re run it. It was the most heroic story of WW II I ever saw. I am proud to say my wife Mary's father (Claude Washburn)was a member of ships company of CA-30 and a liberated POW. These men were true war heroes in every sense of the word. Please honor them and their sacrifice by seeing the PBS documentary and not letting their story die. It is men like these that made our country what it is today. Freedom isn't Free. John H. US Navy Veteran USS Coral Sea CVA-43 1969-1973 |
| Date | 2008-05-21 |
| Location | |
| Message | The family of Claude E. Osborne is saddened to let you know of Dad's passing May 1, 08 (age 91)at the VA hospital Nursing Center in Tampa, FL. Dad served with pride and honor on the USS Houston from Feb.1935 til Oct. 1939 and was on board during three of the FDR trips including the King Neptune crossing. We have an old Houston photo album from his time on the Houston. Dad's brother William Osborne served on the Houston during part of that time and they even had a "Country Band" while on board. |
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