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I
am amazed at how much the USS Idaho has grown since it was first constructed in
April of 2004. On average, I get 3 to 5 email messages or Guestbook entries every
week and I have decided to share some of the Emails that I receive on this new
page "Mail Call". I plan to go back to the first messages and include
in a Mail Archives sections soon. Here
are the most recent messages:
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Jan 16, 2007
(Email from Mike Bender) Sir,
First let me say that the USS Idaho web site is one of the best I have seen.
Easy to navigate and the information second to none. Attached please accept a
copy of the USS California vs USS Idaho Football Program for your collection.
My father would want you to have it.
The reason I write - My father, Martin
W. Bender - MM1, was a Battleship Sailor. He was on the USS California from 1936
-1941 and stayed in the Navy for twenty five years. He never spoke of the war
years only of the times on the California playing Football & Baseball for
the ships team. Back then the Pacific Fleet Battleships were stationed in San
Pedro, CA and all competed against each other for the annual trophy called the
"Iron Man".
There is very little written or documented about
this great little piece of history. If you were on a Battleship back then you
either played for or rooted for your ships team. Football, Baseball, Boxing, Basketball,
Wrestling, and other teams sports were the thing.
My father died in 2002
and there were two things that he wanted to make sure were passed on to myself
and his family - that was his Iron Man Medal he received for being a member of
the 1939 Football & Baseball Teams that help his ship win that coveted award
and his Navy Ring.
After he died I started doing research on the Iron
Man and was stunned to find out how little information other than that from those
who played the sport. I have started to contact other Battleship Sailors and their
families to see if they have any stories, pictures, or other memorabilia they
could share with me. I am gathering this information to write a book - a book
about the Battleship Sailor and the sports they played and watched.
After
reviewing the USS Idaho site I was excited to see the pictures from Rusell Moore's
collection of all of the Football & Baseball pictures. I have almost the same
only they are of the California players. I have never seen such a collection anywhere.
It is information like this I seek to tell their story.
If you or any
of your members have any information to share I would love to document it so their
story is not lost to time. It was a period that everyone I have spoken to so far
has relished all their live and should be shared with others. Thank you.
Mike
Bender (Click
on image for larger view)
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Jan 10, 2007
(Email message from ENS Dan Weeks)
I
am looking to see what awards the ship was given while in service. My grandfather
served during WW2 on the ship and I am trying to put something together for my
dad as a memorial case for the flag and metals. Granddad died last year @ 86 yrs
old. I am serving on the USS Decatur DDG-73. I am getting out of the navy in a
few days but I am still able to get the ribbons and metals but I just need to
know what they where. My granddads name is William W. Weeks. I hope that you can
help me out. Please email me at the following Address three_weeks05_at_yahoo.com
Thank you very much for you time and efforts. Respectfully,
EN2
Dan Weeks
Jan
13, 2007
(Forwarded message from Dan Week's mother - Dan contacted his mother
to let her know about the USS Idaho website and Dan forwarded her response along
with a photo:) Hi
Danny
This is awesome. Here's grandpa's picture. I only know that he was on
the Idaho during WWII when it was in and around the Phillippines. During the war,
grandpa was an ensign. I believe he was a clerk of some kind. As you know his
name was Wallace Ray Weeks, born 9 JUN 1919, Wilson, OK.
He served as
an enlisted sailor prior to WWII and when Pearl Harbor was bombed, he signed up
again and was promoted to ensign as he signed his papers. He was honorably discharged
twice, the first time in late 1941 just before he married grandma in Jan 1942.
That's all I can think of right now . . . more later -- Love ya LOTS!! MoM
Ens.
Wallace Ray Weeks
Footnote:
We want to wish the best of luck and success to Ens. Dan Weeks (son of Ens. Wallace
Ray Weeks, upon his recent honorable discharge from the US Navy this month.
It's
great to see that he followed inthe footsteps of his father, and walks in the
pride of the USS Idaho.
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Jan 11, 2007
(Email from Jason L Wiginton)
One
of the biggest hopes in the creation of this website was that it would become
a resource to connect the crew members of the USS Idaho who have lost touch over
the years or for the family members who may not know much about their ancestors
who served on the Idaho. Today I recieved an Email from the grandson of Thomas
Dirk Potter who served on the USS Idaho and this made my day.
~ Dave ~ Hello
Dave,
Thanks for adding our information to your site last year. As a result,
I have been united with my family for the first time. Attached is a picture of
Grandfather while he was a member of the Idaho crew in 1938. Here is some info
on him: 
Thomas
Dirk Potter
Fireman 2nd Class
Born 09 January 1920
Served On
the U.S.S. Idaho 1938-1939
Died 10 December 2000
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Jan 08, 2007
(Email message from Cheif Cecil "ED" Hewitt)
Happy 2007 to the Crew and their families of the USS Idaho. So many of you have
contributed to this website in 2006 and we appreciate you helping to made the
USS Idaho Memorial website a special place for the crew and their families to
come to remember their great service to our country. I received an email recently
from Chief Cecil "Ed" Hewitt who some of you may know. Mr.
Hewitt writes:
I was a friend of Lew Davidson on the Idaho in WWII and
kept in contact by e-mail until he left us. My letter is listed, but I have a
new e-mail address. I was on the Idaho from October 1941 until October 1945. I
live in Florida and still get around pretty good for an 83 year old. I'll be 84
in March. I haven't heard from any of my Idaho shipmates recently. I know most
of them are gone. I started out in the First Division and the transferred to the
M-Division and was a First Class Machinist's Mate by the end of the war.
The
Battleships were the greatest ships in the fleet at the beginning of WWII. Now
they are a thing of the past, replaced by the big super aircraft carriers. I served
on four aircraft carriers and one destroyer before retiring.
I would like
to hear from anyone who served on the Idaho.
Cecil "Ed" Hewitt
Senior
Chief Machinist's Mate
U.S. Navy Retired
On
a similar note ... if anyone knows how Don and Betty Seger are doing, please let
us know ... we would love to be put in touch with them.
If
any of your requests or information that you may have sent in to be added to the
website has been overlooked, please let me know ... Click
Here to Send me a Note and I will be sure to get the posts added to the site.
Here's
wishing you all the best of health and happiness in 2007!
2006
Mail Call
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Nov 10,2006
(Email from Mark M. Russell)
I
received the following email and immediately forward this to the rest of my family.
I wish my father was alive to read this ... being teacher for over 30 years who
taught the importance of being a patriot to our country and the ones who paid
the price to preserve it ... this message is sent from an 8th grade teacher who's
father served on the USS Idaho. Dave,
I
am late with this news.....my Dad , Hudson M. Russell Passed on May 18,2006.......he
is missed...In honor of him and all who served on the Idaho....I used your web
site for my classroom presentation for our buildings Veterans Day Studies ...
the students were so silent!! I was very moved by their attention.
Each
veteran viewed WWII from a different "window"
Thank You for helping
perserve the"IDAHO'S" window
Mark M. Russell
c/o South Middle
School
310 W 22nd ST
Joplin R-8 School District
Joplin, MO 64801
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April 28, 2006
(Email from Bill Radford) Dear
Dave,
I've enjoyed visiting the USS Idaho website. My father (Charles
Radford) served on the USS Idaho from Dec 1942 through Dec 1944. I found his name
and picture in the group photograph of Fox Division in Photo Album 3. It made
my day. Thanks! I
believe your father's name is listed on the same photograph. What a small world.
I would be interested in learning anything else you know about the photo. Who
did it belong to? I have a few photos of my Dad during the war and some info on
the Idaho that I would be happy to send. I've already scanned them, so I have
jpeg files that I could send by email if that works for you. Let me know.
Thanks
again for putting together the website.
Bill
Radford
Santa Barbara, CA
(2nd
Email) Hi
Dave,
Thanks for the reply. After spending some more time on your site I realized
that the photo albums belonged to your father. It's great that you kept them and
took the time to scan and post them. I found that my father's signature on the
autograph pages in Album No. 1 (the last page of autographs), so they definitely
must have known each other. It
was a thrill to see my Dad's signature from World War II. My father died 25 years
ago when I was in college, so I never had an opportunity to discuss his experiences
while I was an adult and could appreciate them better. But I think I now really
appreciate little bits of info. So thanks again for putting up the website.
My father's rank was FCO 3C. I'm not sure what exactly that stands for. He
always said he was a Petty Officer 3rd Class.
I've attached a few photos
to this email. I'll send some additional items in separate emails
Charles
Radford | 
Charles
Radford | 
Charles
Radford | 
Charles
Radford
Domain of Neptunas Rex |
| Previous
Website Updates: *
Nov 21,2006 - I am receiving on average about 3 emails a week in regard
to the men of the US Idaho from family members to add more names to the Crew List.
Most recently I received some photos of Lt. Macdonald Thompson, a US Navy pilot
who was briefly aboard the Idaho and who was killed in his plane in 1944. The
photos were added to the Photo
Album. Thanks to all of you who contact us to add information to
help make this website one of the best on the Internet as a tribute to the men
who served in the US armed forces especially in WWII.
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Nov 01,2006 - Out of the blue I received an Email from a man by the
name of Steve Franklin in Michigan. He was at an estate sale and bought a box
of photos and among them were some photos from a crew member of the USS Idaho.
He sent them to me and the photos are great. Thanks Steve for such a great addition
to the USS Idaho photo album. Click
Here to see! *
Oct 09,2006 - Do you have photos to be added to the USS Idaho website? An
email account has been set up specifically for photos: photos@ussidaho.com
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Dec 30, 2005 - From the website of the
Nat'l Musueum of the Pacific war in Fredricksburg, Tx, a slide show of the The
War in the Pacific.
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Dec 20,2005 - Post your comments in honor of the USS Idaho shipmates on the
New Guestbook. The 2004-2005 Guestbook
entries have been archived. Please take the time to read these great entries.
Thank you all for your contributions.
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Nov 27,2005 - On Thanksgiving Day, Lew Davidson, who was one of my mentors
and inspirations to create the USS Idaho website, passed away. Read a trubute
to Lew: Memorial to Lew Davidson
from Lew's son, Ray Davidson.
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