23 Names Added to POW Message Relay!

As I am knee-deep in reading, writing, scanning and editing for the 2nd edition of the book, I was overwhelmed to find another list of POW monitors that I had not yet known. This list was found thanks to the copious amount of materials sent to me by T/Sgt. Heer, himself a former POW held by the Japanese who discovered the letters sent to his family. In his research he found a Coshocton Tribune article noting the letters received by the Shurtz family. The article listed each letter and postcard author! Here they are (apologies for formatting chaos, I had to get back to the book!):

Last Name	First Name	City/Town	State
Landis	Paul	Lancaster	Pennsylvania
Smetzer	Mrs. Olive	Bakersfield	California
Hagedorn	Mrs. Carl	Everett	Washington
O’Connor	Miss. Frann	Binghamton	New York
Fortier	Lt. B.D.	Kingman	Arizona
Ferguson	Clifford	Berwick	Maine
Workman	Mrs. W.	Burlingame	California
Gates	Mrs. Clyde	Lansing	Michigan
Zarback	Mrs. Evelyn	Tacoma	Washington
Umbriaco	Mike	Denver	Colorado
Myers	Mrs. Violet	Albuquerque	New Mexico
Neale	D.H.	Toronto	Canada
Gallagher	G.C.	San Francisco	California
Self	Roy H.	Roy	New Mexico
Medsker	Mrs. Louis	Boise	Idaho
Hart	Mrs. R.R.	Harley	Idaho
Dept. Electrical Eng.	Univ. N.M.	Albuquerque	New Mexico
Wright	Mrs. C.E.	Scotia	California
Branson	Stanley	Corvallis	Oregon
Wagner	Jesse D.	Medford	Oregon
South	B.O.	San Francisco	California
Hollarn	Mrs. G.L.	Santa Cruz	California
Snook	Mrs. I.J.	Pogosa Springs	Colorado

 

We've Added 16 Names!

Thanks to T/Sgt. Robert Heer we have now added 16 names to our master list of men and women who took part in POW Message Relay. T/Sgt Heer was a POW who came home to find the letters written to his family about his capture. He received 18 letters and postcards. Two were from names already on our list: Irwin Bender (Oberlin PA) and Sanford Lowe (NY NY- whom you'll recall sent more than 10,379 letters to POW families).

The new names have been added to my master list. I'm happy to send anyone a copy of it. Email me with your request and please spread the word. We want to see these folks Conressionally Recognized!

The names and states are below. (Full addresses are on the master list.)

Mrs. G.E. Atherton, MA
Nellie Barrow, NY
Mrs. Chloe J. Benge, OR
Muriel Fishburn, NM
Earl Fitzerald (sic), WA
G.P. Glanton, WA
Mrs. D.V. Greenlee, CA
C.J. Hansen, WA
Rev. W.T. Holt, NV
Mrs. L. Keary, CA
Frances Kelsey, CT
Ellen Lacy, MO
Dr. William McKie, CA
Raymond P. Read, MN
Miss Josephine Smola, MI
J.E. Webster, TX

I'm also going to send a book and request for Congressional Recognition to Senator John McCain today. If you are comfortable doing so, send one to him also with your own request to publically thank these heroes for serving those who served us. As a former POW I'm sure he'll fully appreciate their good deeds.

Japanese Friendship Program

I was interested to read this, when passed on to me by Lon Aylsworth: http://www.us-japandialogueonpows.org/News2012.htm
It is about a Friendship Program whereby the Japanese government invites POWs and their families for a visit.
I'd welcome your comments and dialogue about this.
Lisa

Many Thanks to Jim Pitchford and MCARC

Lisa Spahr of Saint Louis MO traveled up to the Macoupin County Ham-fest in Carlinville Illinois on August 4^th  2012 and gave a program about Ham Radio and Shortwave Radio and how it was used during WWII to get critical information out of Germany and other occupied countries under the control of the German forces.  When German or foreign broadcast radio stations release propaganda about which American servicemen were being held in prison camps there were people around the world hearing that information and getting word back to families in the United States to tell them where their loved ones were being held.

 

Lisa’s book documents the hundreds of stories passed down via word of mouth and historical records and puts family letters and telegrams on display for all of us to enjoy.  Her family was helped by this unpaid group of freedom fighters and she shares their stories.   Our club members all said they enjoyed the presentation and many purchased her books to take home and read the rest of the story. If you ever get a chance to hear Lisa’s story take the time to listen.

 

Jim Pitchford, Past President of the Illinois Emergency Services Management Association

Secretary of the Macoupin County Amateur Radio Club, N9LQF

 

Someone stole 18 of my signed WWII books. Keep an eye out!

Thieves! So my shipment of WWII books to ARRL in CT arrived with only 1 book of 20 (another made it but was damaged)! USPS stamped it "received unsealed". That's insane! It BECAME unsealed in your possession AND you'll ask me "did you get insurance?". WHY do I have to get insurance to get you to do your job? If you see 15+ of my SIGNED books for sale anywhere.... let me know. I'd like to have a word with someone.

September 4, 2012 Raleigh Amateur Radio Society

I hope to see some of you East Coasters at the Raleigh Amateur Radio Society's September 4th meeting. We've been planning this visit for nearly a year and I'm eager to meet all of the people I've been emailing and coordinating with. We'll have the Howard 430 with us and perhaps an update on whether there will be a 2nd edition coming soon.
It will be good to be back East.

Sad Goodbye to Lt. Col. Morton Bardfield W1UQ

Very sad to report that Lt. Col. Mort Bardfield has passed, in June, a few days after his 82nd birthday. He was amazing to me while writing WWII Radio Heroes. He'll be missed in the radio community as well. His call was W1UQ and he also held Carribean call signs PJ7UQ & VP2EUQ.