USS DEFENSE (AM317) & W.D. Cordell Guestbook
Here is a registry of the people who have visited...

NOTICE: I have been forced to disable the auto-enter feature of this guestbook because of the huge number of Web robots and spiders that have been filling it up with spam. If you want to leave a note on this guestbook, please e-mail me at rcordell@uark.edu or rcordell@gmail.com and I will insert your comment here.

Thanks!

Last Modified: Sunday, February 19, 2006

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>Robert Patterson>
- >Hello, my father William Thomas Patterson was aboard the USS BEAVER on sept. 3 sun. 1939. I have a ship to ship comm. that states the declaration of WW2 England and France are now at war govern yourself accordingly. My dad has long passed, and I am currently working on a large scale model of the USS BEAVER 1939 era. It will be about 1:16 scale and remote controlled. I require photos and specs. for the project. the more detailed the better. stories are also helpful in recreating something like this. Can you please help me.

sincerely
Robert Patterson


John
- Very nice site. Will sure visit again.

Al Sullivan
- Looking for shipmates that were aboard the USS Waxbill AMS39 in Korea. I was a RM1 and served under three skippers, Clinton R Vail, Joe F.Friend and Cliff Johnson.I was on board for about three years, and rode it back from Korea to Calif.So far, I've located about six men.If you're out there, please e-mail me.
Thanks!

Donald G. Grabar
- During WWII I served aboard Sentry,AM 299, during the Phillipine campaign, thence to Okinawa and Japan. I have recently been in contact with several shipmates and relatives. Would enjoy hearing from others.

Vivian Scott
- Hello,
I really liked your web site.

My uncle (passed away) William Barnes was on a mine sweep in the Pacific Ocean. I don't know where, or what ship and I was hoping to find his name here. He refused to talk about the war and came home shell-shocked (post tranatic stress syndrome. He lived with my grandparents, and then with my mother when they died. He never married, or had a girlfriend after comming home. For years he watched for the ememy, sleeping all day and up at night. At times he was violent and was committed to a vetrans hospital where he bit someone and they pulled all his teeth. He talked to himself and would sit for hours cutting paper with sissors, or making x's on paper, line after line. He never left the house.
I loved him though, and was very proud of him. He was from Tennessee and proud of being from the volunteer state. People would whisper behind our backs about "Crazy Bill". Anyhow I remember what he did for our country, and my kids do and there kids will and so on.
Thanks for listening to me. Vivian


Rene Merideth
- Hi! This website is amazing! I'm so glad I found it. My father, James T. Merideth, served on the Leutze and I'm been searching and searching for information about him. Amazingly I think I found a photo of him on your site. You have a group of pictures from Wilbert Berry and Karen Vicars Ostrand. Near the beginning is a picture of four sailors. I could be mistaken but it looks like my dad on the left side. Please let me know if you know the names of the guys in the picture.

Thanks again for putting together such a greaet site!

Rene Merideth


Shawn Friel
- I am embarking on a search for history on my father. His name was Louis "Luke" Friel. He was an Sp(A)3c SeaBee on Guam in WWII. I thought it would be neat to search for his service-mates and put together a documentary for my siblings, kids and grandkids. Can anyone give me advise on how to get started? He served from 2/12/1945 to 7/20/1946. He was from the Amboy, Illinois area.
Shawn Friel

Marc Smilen
- I am seeking the identity of the radioman 2/c aboard the USS Density, AM 218. I collect war letters and war diaries. I have in my collection the handwritten shipboard diary written by that radioman. ALl I know about him is his girlfriend's name was Lois; Lois lived in Los Angeles; The radioman was from Bremerton; He had some relatives named Dorothy, Ed, and Joe.

Angelo Fragapane
- I, two, would like to contact anyone who served aboard the USS Beaver, AS5 and ARG19.

My phone/Fax number is 770-682-2828. Address: 735 Highland Ridge Pointe, Lawrenceville, Ga. 30045.

I left her in Seattle, Washington in June of 1945.

Angelo Fragapane


Albert Sullivan
Looking for the crew of the USS Waxbill AMS 39 1953 to 1956

Don Smith
- I want thank You for this Web Site ,because of it I was able to contact a few of My Shipmates I served with on the Defense during Korea , Don Smith Fruitland Park , Fl

George M. Reynolds MMI/C
- Am interested in contacting anyone that served on the USS BEAVER in WWII 410-398-4124. Mailing address P.O.Box 3 Elkton, Maryland 21922-0003.

Don McLaughlin
- Served aboard the USS CHAMPION AM-314, Aug 45 to Nov 45. Still remember working with the Defense and the other ships of MinDiv 10 at Iwo & Okinawa. You have put together a wonderful, informative web page, No doubt I passed your grandfather while he had the quarterdeck watch, as enroute to the pier.

timothy j. albrecht
- my dad served on the uss defense during the second world war his name was harlan k. albrecht. dad told us alot of stories. dad was wounded at okinawa
when one of the jap planes hit the ship midships dad was a loader on a 40mm aa gun. thanks for the website it's kind of cool to see pictures of the stories our dad told us about. thanks again tim

Calvin H Reeves
- I served aboard the luzon,went aboard in okinawa after the war was over we went to nogoya japan we were the flag ship there.we were relieved by the uss beaver, we took her to orange texas to be decommissioned. we took her up the sabine river, and run her a ground on purpose,there were tornado warnings in our area .the next morning tugs came and pulled us off of the sand bar. we tied up in orange texas next to a ammo ship. a few days later a tornado came through .pulled the cleats out of the peer,the boilers were dead so the tugs caught us relocated us. i left the ship thinking it was decomissioned,i'm sorry i don't remember meeting your grandfather it would have been apleasure to have knowned him..

Timothy Bohjanen
- The O S Bohjanen mentioned on June 12, 1945 is my uncle, Oswald
He passed away in 1987, Menahga, Minnesota.
Interesting finding family information on the internet.
The site is a nice tribue to the veterans.

Timothy


James C. Ervin
- Please contact me by e-mail or my father Burt C. Ervin at 386-668-6679. Burt was on the Defense in 1945 and 1946. I enjoyed the crew photos on some of the web sites.

Gary R. Williams
- My father Carroll Williams was on the Defense during WWII. George R. Hendershot and Stan Lockard were friends of Dad's. He wanted to name me Lockard Hendershot Williams.
- My uncle James P. Bowell served on the USS Defense in 1944 and 1945.
He would like to contact anyone that served with him in WWII on the USS Defense. You can contact him by me at my email address.

Louis C. Ussery
- Louis C. Ussery was transferred to the U.S.S. Defense on October 31, 1945. Thoroughly enjoyed this website!!
submitted by son-in-law,
CWO3 Layne A. Holley USMCR (ret.)

Jack Mindeman
- I served on the Defense during the Korean War

Marty Strauss
-
KOREAN WAR SHIPMATES ATTENTION

The search goes on. Am looking for shipmates who were aboard in Korea.
If you are one of those, please contact me at vipmarty@aol.com or
call 510-782-4782 days M-f or evenings at 510-887-4366. Fax 510-782-4785
I'vw tracked down 26, 12 from the Korean war. Hope to find enough to get a reunion planned.

Marty Strauss RM3c


Valerie Hamilton Wujcik
- Thanks for the site & the information.

Ardis (Johns) Shriner
- Loved your website. I am the niece of Lt. Albert Johns and appreciate all of the work you do to honor our vets.

Lynne
- Great site.
Thank you for sharing. Your grandfather would be very proud of this.
Lynne

marvin greenstein
- Served on the defense from dry dock in 1945 until we put her out of commission in may? 1946, will look for some pictures,,,,Radar man vince carothers ( ??)and i took pictures and developed them aboard and made copies for all aboard in the states in april 1946,, will try and track some down if they are meaningful to anyone
marvin greenstein
minnetonka, minnesota

Bud Williams
- Great site! My father, Carroll Williams, was on this ship during WWII.

W W Schowengerdt
- Paul Schowengerdt served aboard the USS Champion minesweeper during the
Pacific war with Japan, if anyone can send me web site addresses that have
info on that ship and/or photos of it/and/or the crew I would be thrilled.

Regards,
William Schowengerdt


karen hamilton colangelo
- my dad is the one on the left with the pipe- great site, nice work . does anyone know anything about robert o massey?? he was my dad's friend
- I was attached to the USS Defense crew waiting on Treasure Island for it to built, until it returned to Bremerton, Washington, from Okinawa for repairs. I received 30 days leave, went home and married my sweetheart (who passed away in 1985).

Bill Johns
- Great site. My dad Albert Johns was a Lieutenant (jg) on the Defense with your dad. Thanks.
bill johns

DAVID BUELL
- Great web site!

I learned more about minesweeping and minesweepers by spending a half hour here than I have in 10 years of studying U.S. Naval History!

Great photos too!

David Buell


Don Smith
- I served abord the USS Defense when It was recommisioned in 1952 stayed abord until it was decommisioned in 1955 . I operated the boiler and destilling plant in the after engine room .

beth
- Loved the site. My dad was on this ship with your grandfather.His name was Henry Hayest.Imagine my delight when I saw his picture on your site. It make me cry.My brother and I are hoping to send this site some more pictures that my father has in his collections.Very nice job. Thanks so much.

Marty Strauss
- Just getting an update on the Defense website. It's looking better all the time. Am still looking for the Korean War crew. The Naval MInewarfare Assn. convention in San Jose, CA. in October promises top be a wonderful get together. Wilbert Berry plans to attend and I hope others from the "D" will too. GO NAVY!

Stephen Cordell
- Excellent - I really enjoyed you site

Frances M. Cordell Reece
- Daddy would be so proud of you, 'course he was anyway, but he'd be so proud and pleased with this work. When we visited the Iwo Jima Memorial in D.C., when I walked up to it, I thought, I wish Daddy had been able to see this. Well, I wish he had seen what you are doing here just as much.I miss him so, and this helps, it's like he's still here.

George O. Freeman, EM3/c
- U.S.S. CHAMPION (AM 314) -- September 8, 1943 to September 1945.
You deserve an "atta boy" for your website. Your grandfather would be proud of you!

Jon Vreeland - friend of harry miller,
- harry miller s2c(qm) uss defense okinawa /iwo jima. my good friend.will tell him of this fantastic site!

Taylor Buckingham USS Pluck MSO464 1954-1956 -

CARTHOL BOYD WILSON - USS SIGNET AM302

Larry L Grossman - Ex-RD2 USS AGILE MSO-421, Save an MSO

MARTY STRAUSS - RM3 USS Defense 317 1952-1954,
WWW.VIPMARKETING.COM - Design & mfg. custom logo pins and embroidered patches. 2 lines of jewelry. Carousel Classis and Faeries Military reunions

Nick Jones -

Mom & Dad - Your grandfather would be proud.

Roy Cordell - University Relations WebMaster, University of Arkansas
www.uark.edu/
The USS DEFENSE & W.D. Cordell - A journey through the Pacific aboard a minesweeper in 1945.