As mentioned in my last post, a couple of Zircon sailors’ granddaughters contacted me after finding me via web searches related to their genealogical research.
A couple of days ago, I received a package of photographs from one of them, and was delighted by yet another surprise. Many of the prints were in booklets of ten or so per booklet.
Booklets by The Camera House, 728 Lexington Avenue, New York City
Something that I have wondered about for some time is how the sailors came to receive the photos that have been shared here. Who took them? Who took care of having the film processed and printed? How were they distributed? Did everybody on board get all of the photos? Did sailors have the chance to order them? Considering that some men were on board for only short periods of time, it’s possible that their photos were taken and they never saw them. It’s possible, too, I suppose, that those who were on the ship the longest never saw a single photograph.
By the way, most of the prints that have been sent to me to be scanned have been two-inch by three-inch images on three-inch by four-and-a-quarter-inch pieces of paper. Considering the format, I suppose I can assume that they were taken with a 35mm camera (2:3 ratio). But can I? I’ve yet to count up the number of photographs I’ve collected since I started this project, but I’d say it’s approximately a hundred. I remain confounded as to who took the photos and how they seem to have ended up (so far) in the possession of only a handful of people.
Ensigns John G. Gay and Julius Peter Wilkowski (who later changed his name to Peter J. Wills)Perforations allow for easy removal of the photos.The Camera House, Inc. imprint on the backs of the booklets
I suppose that if my research comes to nothing else, I will be glad to have discovered all that I’ve come across so far. My father brought virtually nothing back with him from his time in the Navy. Actually, it’s very possible that he did since I didn’t come along until more than ten years later. It’s possible that his photographs and other Navy-related things (except for his ribbons, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, paperwork, and “Navy blankets”) were left behind in Staten Island when he and my mother moved from there to Toledo in 1951.
For coming up on two years, I have been looking for living Zircon sailors or—in lieu of that—their family members.
Recently, I have had a couple people contact me regarding their grandfathers’ service aboard the Zircon after my searches for them had stalled. This gives me hope that there are still others out there who might be looking for information about their fathers’ or grandfathers’ or uncles’ naval service.
One of the people who contacted me, sent me photos of her grandfather, William Mortimore Newman.
William Mortimore Newman, MoMM and CMM
Newman was received on board the Zircon 25 March 1941 as a Motor Machinist’s Mate (MoMM) when the ship was commissioned, which made him a Plank Owner, and he served until 21 August 1944. By then, he had been promoted to Chief Motor Machinist’s Mate. Newman was amongst the first hundred or so people I’d sought out as he was on board when the Zircon came to the aid of the YF-415 on 11 May 1944, and given his Chief rating, I’d hoped he’d spoken of the incident. (I have found, in speaking with Zircon family members, that officers and petit officers more likely to have talked about their service.) I thought I had found a son living in Connecticut, but I received no responses—from him or his immediate family—to several phone calls, e-mails and postcards. So, I was quite thrilled to get the email from his granddaughter, who’d found this blog while researching her grandfather. As luck would have it, Newman was in a photo I’d obtained almost two years ago.
From left: Paul Magera, unknown, Newman, unknown, unknown
I also had forgotten that Newman appeared in a photograph from the 15 August 1941 Bridgeport Post, something I’d received from the grandson of James Stoughton MacBride.
Full names (left to right): Frank Truhn, Jr., Raymond John Battistelli, James Eli Monte, William Ganeric Petrushonis, William Sexton, Paul Magera, William Mortimer Newman, John Robert Edwards, Frederick Joseph Beloin, James Stoughton MacBride.
I have considered the possibly that others out there somewhere are researching their family members and their military history, and have listed names of Zircon sailors on my Flickr site, where many of the photos I’ve received are posted, hoping a web search would bring them my way. I’ll redouble that effort here and list the names of those who were on the USS Zircon the day of the YF-415 disaster first, then those who served with my father prior to and after 11 May 1944, and lastly, those who served prior to and after my father’s time on board. I have already been in contact with many of those listed.
Sailors on board for YF-415 disaster Louis Augusto Alves Gilbert Atwood Anderson Ralph Patrick Annunziata Edward Richard Ausfeldt Edward F Babish James Harold Bacha Alvin Edward Barber William Eugene Barnett Stanley Baron Paul Buford Beach John Shissler? Beck Richard Roy Beckwith Robert Anthony Begandy Frederick Joseph Beloin Frank Walter Bernard Frank Whittelsey Berrien Isidore Teddy Bertone Frank Paul Bielskis John Erwin Bills Douglas Cato Bird Marvin Gordon Black Charles Andrew Blocher Richard Harold Blust Otto Martin Boerner James Rudolph Burton Raymond Francis Carpenter Howard Cochrane Richard Kendall Cockey Francis Michael Conlon James Loren Cook, Jr. Herman Harold Crouser Charles LaVern Damon Charles Brant Deer Frank Nicholas DeRupo Parker R Despain Max Earl Dey Albert Joseph DiPastina William Louis Dommerich Arlo Eugene Ellis Albert Craft Emmett, Jr. Pete Richard Federoff Steven Knowlton Fox, Jr. Richard Llewellyn Francis Julius Emanuel Garber Richard Hamilton Garrison Benjamin Johnson Gibbs John Gigarjian John David Gillis William Arthur Green Buford Aubry Griggs Henry George Grossman Nicholas Gulich Louis Monroe Harper, Jr. Charles Frederick Havemeyer Howard E Henry Joseph Henry Hoser, Jr. Joseph Ovila Huard George Waldo Humphrey Daniel Frederick Hurley Sumner Kinney Hushing Rinaldo Biagio Iannettone Burris Beaty Jones Randall Manuel Keator, Jr. Gordon Denslow Kissam George Albert Krueger Martin John Kuck Ned Landis Lamprecht Charles A(ubrey?) Lea Abraham Levy Clarence Livingstone Michael William Magenheimer Paul Magera Angelo Maiorano Albert Frederick Manzke Bruce Harold Martin James Francis McGovern, Jr James Stanley McKee Richard Edward Mercer Carl Lester Miller John Mirgo, Jr. Charles Waymon Moody William Mortimer Newman Stanley Thomas Niciejewski Henry John Niemczyk Anthony Nigro Edwin Lathrope Oakley Edward Daniel O’Connell Thomas Augustine O’Neil Henry John O’Toole Walter Leo Parks Richard Burton Peacock Russell Ralph Peck William Ganeric Petrushonis Ardrey Vernon Peyton James William Plant, Jr. John Bell Power Thomas Francis Powers Edward Walter Ranski Louis Rene Richards James Michael Riley Irwin Rubin Angel Louis Ruiz Joseph Lawrence Sakmar William Richard Salomons, Jr. Mario Pat Saponaro Peter Anthony Schmanski Robert Forest Segar George Preston Seybolt Jules George Sills Stanley David Simon Quay Henderson Smith Theodore Soltys Henry Eller Staley Francis Joseph Suchowiecki Anthony Charles Susinno Andrew Mertens Swarthout Leonard Francis Therrien Ed Thorne Richard Prescott True Stornes Tucker, Jr. Elster Johannessen Tufte William Walter Turney Harrison Gates White Lester Burton Wood Marvin Glenn Wright Ira LaFlorrid Zeek, Jr.
*Niciejewski legally changed his name to Stanley Thomas Nichols in 1968.
Sailors who served with my father prior to and after 11 May 1944 Ignacio Acack Arthur Merrill Adams Fausto Plaganas Apostol Fred Gilbert Baker Joseph Francis Baldassare Charles Robert Barton John Wesley Bassett, Jr. Raymond John Battistelli Charles Clifton Beaury John Stuart Bennethum John Leonard Betts William Alfred Blair Harry Reno Blankenship Warren Albert Boebert Robert Mervin Bogart Samual/Samuel Booker Berton Johnson Byers James Alfred Campbell Page Herman Carter Thomas Joseph Casa James Cleveland Garrett Joseph Connolly Chester Guy Cooke, Jr. Carl Robert Cooper Sylvester Craven Dalton Burtum Creaser Henry Robert Crum Clarence Weed Davis Charles James Dorrian Robert Milton Drew Thomas Stephen Dunstan Jack Joseph Edwards Burton Sandiford Evans Victor John Fox William Joseph Franey Robert Lee Frederick Michael Joseph Gaglio William Francis Gilligan Philip Sheldon Godfrey Anthony George Gutsch Richard Stanton Harbster Eugene Hayden Rolla Harold Hoffmeister Albert Edward Homewood, Jr. Harold Victor Horn George Thomas Horrigan Kenneth Melvin Howarth John Joseph Howes Edward Davis Howland Walter Hudgins Bernard Joseph Hughes Daniel Johnson Gordon Ronald Johnson Alvin Leanda Knox Alexander Joseph Kotarba Edward Lawrence Larsen James Francis Ledwith Kenneth Jenners Libby John William Lomas Harold Reynolds Love William Frederick Luthmann Francis James Lynch John Bistis Lyon Francis Lawrence MacDonald Donald M Mackie James Marvin Marcus Francis McDiarmid Ulysses McFadden John McGhie John Charles McNicol Richard Elmo McPhail Henry John Meyer, Jr. Louis Ludwig Milano James Eli Monte Charles Milne Morris Edgar Vernon Neer Orla Ezra Nichols, Jr. Alfred Lester Nickles Joseph Francis Nolan Robert Davidson O’Brien Eugene Martin O’Connell William Henry Oesterle James Thomas O’Hagan Theodore Louis Ormsby Eugene Patrick O’Shea Julio Sabila Pacalioga John Herbert Peach William Edward Pitt William Bibbins Post Mark Foster Preston Lawrence Augustus Pyle, Jr. Tommie Rush, Jr. Charles Owen Schauss Michael Joseph Silvasie Isiah Smith Carl Gottlob Sommer John Leon Sorota Christopher Sottile William Dixon Stevens Carl Stone Harrison Stone Richard Harry Stortz Earl Eugene Sullivan Ernest Herbert Swaggart Ernest Rudolph Tashea Edwin Garth Taylor Frank Truhn, Jr. Benjamin Vencheski Anthony Joseph Viviano Oscar Truman Walker Stanley Jerome Wazbinski Ralph Leland Weber John Dickson Webster Louis Mario Weinman Leroy Matthew Weiss George James Welsh James Taylor Wenman Wellesley Plant Wheeler David Quentin White Edelbert Eugene Williams Lowell Eugene Wright Edward Lee Crain
Zircon sailors who did not serve with my father Hartwig Achenbach Edgar Calvin Alverson Kenneth Alvin Anderson Ellis William Anderson Charles John Andres Samuel James Andrews Emery Joseph Arsenault Elmer Edward (Edison?) Banner Napoleon Beamon Harold Beck Allen/Allan? Terhune Benjamin Jesse Gilbert Bennett, Jr. Joseph Cornelius Benson, Jr. Sidney Berkowitz John Paul Boyd Daniel Frederick Brach Thomas Brader James McKnight Bradford, Jr. Redding A Braxton, Jr. William Armond Brehm, Jr. Earle Robinson Brown George Brownlee, Jr. Raymond Butler Wallace Richard Carper Raphael Cervera, Jr. John Chencharik Sanford Lee Childers William Brougham Clark Robert George Clark Harold Eugene Clift William John Collins Salvatore Joseph Collusi Burl J Cooley Donald Gilbert Countryman Aaron Cousin Olin Roy Cousino James Joseph Creevay Edward Anthony Cronauer, Jr. Robert P Crowder Arthur R DeFields Meir Hershtenkorn Degani Ernest Leonel Descheneaux Charles A(ddison) Dodge A W Doherty Richard Frederic Douglas Arthur Fleming Drant, Jr. Michael Duzmati John Robert Edwards Edward William Edwards William Elmer Ellis Donald Charles Elmore Andrew Jackson Ely, Jr. Spencer Joseph Emery Ettman Harry Wesley Eumont, Jr. George Joseph Fager Lester M Ferguson Thomas Frank Fiorini Martin Joseph Fotusky Frank Stevall Frazier Emanuel Friedman Amadeo Galli, Jr. James L Garnes Ira Elmer Garver, Jr. John G Gay Thomas Edward Gilmore John Thomas Gleeson John Richard Glenn Walter Edward Gray William Albert Greffin Clifford Thomas Grein Harry Roland Gustafson George Seaman Hallman Floyd Philip Hallstrom Francis Charles Hanggi George Emery Harmon Bernard Lee Harvey Alfred Maxwell Haseltine James Adelbert Hauser Earthy Lee Hawkins, Jr. John J Hayes Harold Berton Hendershot Odis Henderson Robert John Hendricks Percy Eugene Henneman Robert Richard Holmquist Stephen G(arret?) Holster Harold Wayne Hushour Nealon Lewis Johnson Lonnie Johnson Homer Dowell Johnson Joseph Johnson, Jr. Charles Jordan Julian Paul Kaczynski George Richard Kaufmann James William Keating, Jr. Francis Woods Keefe George Donald Kelly Herbert Fairfax Kendall III George Vincent Killoran William Leroy Kirchhoff Henry Francis Kroupa Paul Francis Kruyer Bernard Richard Kuprewicz George La Roy Arthur D LaBrecque Clifford Everett Lamplough John Joseph Lane Auther Claud Lawler Louis/Lewis E Lee Paul Lenchuk George Love Alexander Lulic Stephen Lupco James Stoughton MacBride Charles Wight MacQuoid Harold Wallace Manner Olden Manning Thurlow Winsfield Manzie George Ernest Marra Donald Edward McAllister Francis Homer McCoy Gilbert McGhee William H McInnis Theodore Charles Metzing Irwin Earle Meyer Dwight Robert Miller Earle McK Mitchell Wilson Broaddus Moberly Doris Clinton Mooney John Earl Morgan Joseph John Muller Ben Ashenhurst Muse Tolbert William Nash, Jr. Frank White Nesbitt Erhard Linus Olson Michael Angelo Paladino Will P Parker Tilford E Patterson Nicholas Pegan John Louie Pineault, Jr. Meredith Pippens Rebo Pope Milton Powell William Luke Reedy Braulio Riqueza William James Robb James Walter Robertson William Gaston Robinson William Rogers John Francis Ronkovitz Max Wilburn Rood Arthur Tracy Row, Jr. Eugene Vapor Sagaral Servillano Sayaman Henry Raymond Schneider James Joseph Senft Albert Severino William Sexton William Patrick Shea, Jr. Francis Lynde Sherwood Thomas Charles Shubert, Jr. Solomon Silverman Edward Simon Joseph Edward Sims James Howard Singleton George W Sizemore Lasal Smith Joseph Emerson Spence, Jr. Floyd Everett Spencer Robert James Stanslow Albert Thomas Stephens Ray N? Stewart Iliff Ira Strahan James Ralph Strain Frank Joseph Strakosch Cornelius Martin Sullivan Charles Julian Symington, Jr. Herman Joseph Taroli George Eugene Tessier Henry Francis Thomas Kenneth Edward Thompson Roy M Thompson Willie Melvin Thompson P J Tiffany James Edward Tiner Joseph Michael Torres Ernest William Turnbull Louis George Uljon Draper Jack Underwood Joseph Benedict Volente James Eugene Walker Franklin Leroy Walter Robie Leslie Waugh Richard Lewis Weis Carl J Westbrook Daniel Wheeler William E Whitney Julius Peter Wilkowski** Leroy Allen Williams John Franklin Wilson, Jr. Arthur Thomas Wincek Lloyd Elmer Woodworth Carl Young Vincent Joseph Zemalkowski
** Changed his name to Peter J. Wills sometime after the war.
