We're Naming Names! Celebrate these SWLs and Hams from 1943!

I am so pleased to provide the best list I can currently come up with that includes men and women who participated in POW message relay during WWII. If you have additions or corrections, please email me. In the coming weeks we'll be asking Congress to publically recognize them for their amazing and compassionate work.

Thank you for visiting and please spread this news to others.

Details are: Last Name First Name City/Town State


Allison Mrs. Thomas Jr. Birmingham Alabama

Denson Otto E. North Birmingham Alabama

Grubbs Mrs. Robert Bessemer Alabama

Harper Kathyleen Birmingham Alabama

Wohlford Ted Wylam Alabama

Badler Mr. Norman Los Angeles California

Bourgeotte (?) Mrs. W.K. Los Angeles California

Hite H.E. Redondo Beach California

Hodson E.C. Inglewood California

Kissinger W.E. Los Angeles California

Muller Mrs. L.F. Cos Cob Connecticut

Vorisak (?) B New Preston Connecticut

Yanowsky Joseph Waterbury Connecticut

Costenbader Marguerite Washington District of Columbia

Maloney Madeline Washington District of Columbia

West Mildred Tampa Florida

Daily Mr. Claud New Albany Indiana

Gordon Mr. Alex E. Indianapolis 4 Indiana

Johnson W.E. South Bend Indiana

McLaughlin Rev. W.G. Montgomery Indiana

Smith Ida Prairieton Indiana

McCann Mrs. Russ Centerville Iowa

McFarland I (?) Dubuque Iowa

Schofalidge (?) C.M. Moravia Iowa

Gabbard Mrs. Charles E. Campton Kentucky

Rapier Edw. D. New Orleans Louisiana

Given Mrs. Fred West Auburn Maine

Heim Mrs. Edna Lovell Maine

Bardfield Morton Brookline Massachusetts

Bell Ella Haverhill Massachusetts

Loomi Mrs. W.G. Holyoke Massachusetts

Woodley Hazel Somerville Massachusetts

Barnes Stuart Detroit Michigan

Finke Walter A. Saginaw Michigan

Hayward Mr. Charles Dearborn Michigan

Miller Miss C.L. Detroit 27 Michigan

Moore Ralph Detroit 10 Michigan

Taylor Mrs. Lyda M. Detroit Michigan

Bettin Mr. Roger Lakefield Minnesota

R.P. Read Hopkins Minnesota

Ryan Mrs. Dorence Marshall Minnesota

Hodges Mrs. Alma Rolla Missouri

Fike John R. Omaha Nebraska

Alvarez Mrs. Jean Newark New Jersey

Barry Mrs. L.A. East Orange New Jersey

Bigler George Camden New Jersey

Cooper Mrs. E.E. Wildwood Crest New Jersey

Jahn H.R. Montclair New Jersey

Kennedy Mr. George Montclair New Jersey

Levenson Mr. L.I. Atlantic City New Jersey

Moore Mrs. H.H. Plainfield New Jersey

Oriolo Nicholas North Bergen New Jersey

Pelton Mrs. K.R. Westfield New Jersey

Smith Mrs. Emily Camden New Jersey

Teeple Miss Ann Nutley New Jersey

Anonymous “a friend” Not given Frankfort New York

Anonymous “a loyal American” Not given New York New York

Beck Miss Tilde New York 28 New York

Coonley William E. Troy New York

Dannemann Mr. F.W.C. Brooklyn 20 New York

Delappe Mrs. Walter Yaphank, Long Island New York

Duncan Walter Brooklyn 2 New York

Fernandez Mrs. J. New York New York

Feye Jack Kingston New York

Finger Mrs. Francis Huntington, Long Island New York

Grace Oliver R. Great Neck New York

Hensen Arthur R. Ithaca New York

Huston Francis E. Tioga Center New York

Kienitz John Brooklyn New York

Lancer Miss Marion Senaca Falls New York

Lande Mrs. George Brooklyn New York

Levins Mr. J. Brooklyn 25 New York

Livingston Mr. & Mrs. Rochester New York

Lowe Mr. Sanford New York 24 New York

Quinn Mrs. Joseph Syracuse New York

Taylor Helen Utica New York

Taylor Mr. Curtis Utica 2 New York

Walters Irene Patchogue New York

Warren Roger Ithaca New York

Washila Mr. J. Leo J. New York New York

Winkler Herman Bronx New York

Wittpen Russell New York 7 New York

Bottorf Charles I. New Bern North Carolina

Propst Mr. David Black Mountain North Carolina

Shelton Mr. W.F. Louisburg North Carolina

Wright Mrs. Edward N. Asheville North Carolina

Arbogast E.F. Stone Creek Ohio

Bamberger Ed. Shaker Heights Ohio

Cartwright Mrs. Mary Akron 5 Ohio

Christiauas Miss Laura Cleveland Ohio

Eggleston Mrs. John Ostrander Ohio

Farrell John R. Cleveland Ohio

Gilli Mrs. Rose Willoughby Ohio

Heck Mrs. John Springfield Ohio

Lewis Mrs. R.D. Cincinnati Ohio

Moran Mrs. A.F. New Athens Ohio

Olson Mrs. B.C. North Canton Ohio

Shonting Martin G. Troy Ohio

Yant Mrs. Don Lima Ohio

Ball Mrs. Kenneth Erie Pennsylvania

Bender Irwin F. Oberlin Pennsylvania

Davis Mrs. Josephine Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Dudley Mrs. Edgar Elizabeth Pennsylvania

Hill Miss Flora L. Lewistown Pennsylvania

Hoffield Magdalene Pittsburgh (N.S.) Pennsylvania

Hoffman Geo. R. Johnstown Pennsylvania

Jankauskas Mr. Flavius Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Kahler Mrs. F.H. Bloomsburg Pennsylvania

Kary (Karagianis) Paul L. Johnstown Pennsylvania

Lees Samuel South Langhorne Pennsylvania

Love G.M. (?) Connelsville Pennsylvania

Schum Mr. LeRoy Reading Pennsylvania

Schwartz Catherine Oil City Pennsylvania

Skilton Mr. and Mrs. C.P. Carbondale Pennsylvania

Spadacene Mrs. Carl Erie Pennsylvania

Sulzer Mrs. G.H. Cheyney Pennsylvania

Susan Mrs. Joseph McKeesport Pennsylvania

Thompson Mrs. Jack Monongahela Pennsylvania

Watkins Morris Ulster Pennsylvania

White Mrs. Newton Bloomsburg Pennsylvania

Zaleski Robert Philadelphia 34 Pennsylvania

Hitchcock A.J. Chattanooga Tennessee

Bird Mrs. J.R. Bowie Texas

Seigle Mrs. Earl Tyler Texas

Allaway Mrs. Unknown Unknown

Grubbs Mrs. Unknown Unknown

Lapan Mrs. George Essex Jet Vermont

Fowler Margaret Charlottesville Virginia

Pickett Mr. Robert Roanoke Virginia

Clark Mrs. V. C. Olympia Washington

Bradford Mrs. J.C. Pennsboro West Virginia

Christian Mrs. Dan Slagle West Virginia

Hazelbaker Miss Mary Pennsboro West Virginia

Keith Mrs. F.E. Parkersburg West Virginia

Murray Mr. & Mrs. John Chester West Virginia

Vickers Mrs. Keith Huntington West Virginia

Let's Get Congressional Recognition for Short-wave Monitors During WWII

While researching POW relay and monitoring for World War II Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion (2008), I discovered a letter written by Senators (then) Biden and Roth asking the VFW for how many POW message relay monitors there may have been. One of their constituents was asking them to consider congressional recognition for the listeners and writers of the POW messages relayed. That letter dead-ended for all that I can tell. But I believe now is the time to revive the effort.

I have a list of 100+ short wave listeners and hams who wrote to POW families like mine during WWII. I'll publish that list here in the coming days and weeks with the corresponding states they they lived in and wrote from.

I'm asking for help from all of you to reach out to your elected officials and ask them to elevate this issue and ultimately obtain congressional recognition for the role that hams and short-wave listeners played in relaying POW messages back home, letting loved ones know they were alive.

I have drafted a letter that you can use (in whole or part) to send to your officials. Email me for a copy and personalize it as you see fit. Then, please let me know you sent the letter and to whom. I'll keep track on this end as well.

Make sure you subcribe to this blog so you'll receive updates via email and won't have to keep checking back for new content. I sincerely appreciate your interest and thank you for your continued support.