Is the reunion this year or 5 years from now in 2015?

THANK YOU, U.S.N.I., for posting, along with all other sites. Yes, we welcome everyone and would love to see crew from USS Santa Fe, USS Pittsburgh (who took the Franklin in tow away from Japan until she got back under her own power), USS Miller, USS Hunt, USS Laffey, USS Intrepid, etc. so many ships that rescued so many men from the ocean and from the flames and smoke on the USS Franklin. Sadly, some crewmen don’t have a way to travel or financially struggle and therefore, do not even contact us. If you know of a Franklin sailor in that situation, please ask them to contact us anyway. We may find some way help out or at least let them know that they are not forgotten by the Franklin Family and be sure they are on our mailing list. (Often, they have not been in contact and we do not know where they are). Again, Thanks to all support of our USS Franklin loved ones! Lest we forget!
Fair Winds

Hi,

My father, a Marine recon scout in the 1st Marines during WWII, wrote his own memoirs of the war. In it, he recounts being on a troop transport as the fleet mustered for the Okinawa invasion in March of ’45 and watching the Big Ben crew fight the fires from the attacks for days before it was towed back to the U.S. for repairs. Marines and Navy kid each other relentlessly about each other’s fighting ability but there was nothing but respect in my father’s account of the brave “swabbies” (hey, he was a Marine after all) trying to keep their ship afloat. Just proves there were heroes in every branch of the service. Thank you so much for your service and sacrifice. I hope you had a great time in Branson.

jcfrench: Condolences for your cousin’s loss. I suggest you pick up my book INFERNO (written by Joseph A Springer) from Amazon. If you wish, you may write to me at “sujoeinc@yahoo.com” and I’ll be happy to sign the book personally. BTW, your cousin was KIA on March 19, 1945, the day Franklin was bombed by a Japanese Judy bomber.