Inspired by Franco

[Monkey Butler]

I've read every word of Franco's post and it inspired me to post something about an item that I have been mulling over this Memorial Day weekend.

I found a letter in my deceased mother's personal belongings. It was amongst letters that she kept that were sent to her from her 3 brothers during WWII. All of them were in the Navy and saw active service.

But this letter was different, it was from an unknown sender, an unknown shipmate of an Uncle who I never met, descibing the action that my Uncle had seen.








He describes their last action together as being December 24, 1943. The ship was the USS Columbia CL-56. A little over a year later, in January of 1945 during landing operations in the Lingayen Gulf the Columbia was attacked and hit by Japanese kamikazes on two seperate occasions.

Here are two images of one of the attacks.






I believe that these photos may be of the attack where my Uncle, John Pisarchuck was killed.

There is a USS Columbia CL-56 Association and I sent a copy of the letter to them. I got a response thanking me and saying that they would publish a copy in their July newsletter hoping that maybe the author would read it.

I also found an image of a plaque honoring those who died on board. There are 60 names, my Uncle's among them:



We owe a debt of gratitude to these men, and other like them who gave their life so that we may enjoy the freedom that we sometime take for granted.

The plaque was originally mounted on the ship. I can't seem to find out its ultimate fate. There is a monument to the USS Columbia and those who served on her in Columbia SC. If anyone here is from that and and can tell me if the above plaque is part of the monument I would truly be grateful.

Steve Pawlowskis

[willy]

Great men they were. You should be proud to count them among your family.

[reelapeelin]

Originally Posted by Monkey Butler

The plaque was originally mounted on the ship. I can't seem to find out its ultimate fate. There is a monument to the USS Columbia and those who served on her in Columbia SC. If anyone here is from that and and can tell me if the above plaque is part of the monument I would truly be grateful.

Steve Pawlowskis

I'm 90 miles from Columbia and go there w/some frequency...try and find out WHERE that monument is located in Columbia and I'll go by and check on it and get pics...I'm going thru there next week if you can find out before Monday, I'll give it a go...

If you haven't Googled USS Columbia, do it...here's one link I found

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/..._Columbia.html

[Monkey Butler]

Thanks for the offer. Here is a Google Maps link to the monument:

<http://maps.google.com/maps?source=ig&hl=en&q=uss+columbia+memorial&ie=UT F8&ll=34.003079,-81.04183&spn=0,359.980774&t=h&z=16&iwloc=E&layer=c &cbll=34.003161,-81.041865&panoid=shZCIVFO9UTb6aoEJXqoNA&cbp=12,225 .46,,0,0.88

I've been all over Google doing research but I couldn't find out where the plaque went. The ship was eventually scrapped, I'm wodering if the plaque went with it?

[reelapeelin]

OK, MB...that's downtown Columbia close to the State House...I'll try to swing thru on my way back next week...

[rb437]

Found it here

http://www.columbiasouthcarolina.com/veteransday.html

[reelapeelin]

Originally Posted by rb437

Found it here

http://www.columbiasouthcarolina.com/veteransday.html

Looks like the plaque is there, but I'll try and get by for a close up look...

Didja notice the Doolittle reunion in that link...they trained over Lake Murray just outside Columbia...dropped a few B-25s into the waters there...National Geographic aired a documentary about raising one of them...one or two still there I believe...

One little island in big water area of Murray, they bombed the pi$$ outta that thing...towering pines everywhere around that lake except "Bomb Island"...

[Monkey Butler]

RB, good detective work. It looks like the plaque may be there. Thanks

Reel, if it's not to much trouble a few pics and a closeup would be great. Thank You.