Tuesday, November 3, 2009

USS Grenadier SS-210Please forward this to any one who may have knowledge of this flag. It was one of my late father's areas of interest. This was written by my sister. Our father was on this ship. ( Johnson, Charles E.) Thank You,Kim
From: Jeanna Smith To: hawkeye@beachlink.comSent: Sat, October 31, 2009 2:07:17 PMJohn,Thank you for your ongoing e-mails. As you know dad was very devoted tothe memory of the Grenadier USS 210. One of the issues he and Idiscussed was the picture I have attached. He often said that he wishedthat whom ever had possession of the American flag in this picture wouldhave it in their heart to loan or donate it to the Museum in Ga. Iunderstand there is a wall mural of this picture in the museum. He wasnot sure who had this flag last and was concerned that as the generationspassed that the significance of this piece of history would diminish. The history as I recall was that the flag was drawn on a white sheet withcolored pencils given to the POWs by the civilians during the liberation,someone correct me if I am wrong. I need your help in circulating thise-mail in hopes that someone will know the whereabouts of this archive.
I have attached the roster of the boat but unfortunately that is all Ihave to go on. Any help you can provide would be very beneficial, I knowyou have many contacts in the submarine league. I have also included thelink to the POW museum in case anyone is interested. Please include mye-mail address in your correspondence.I am still working on making my way through the DVDs you did of dad, itis hard and I can only watch so much at a time.The link to the museum is http://www.nps.gov/ande/contacts.htmSincerely,Jeanna Johnson SmithU.S.S. Grenadier (SS-210)Adkins, Ralph L.Albertsen, Norman A.Andrews, David J.Barker, Lesley L.Barrington, Clyde W.Clark, Lynn R.Courtney, Thomas R.Cox, Gordon C.Critchlow, John N.Cunningham, William M. J.*Doyle, CharlieEmbry, Jewell C.Erishman, Charles A.Evans, Rex R.Evans, Robert E.Fitzgerald, J. A.Fourre, Glen R.Fulton, Ben H.Garrison, Randolph J.*Guico, Justiniano G.Gunderson, John H.Harty, K. D.Herbert, Carlisle W.Hinkson, Richard J.Ingram, Joe G.Johnson, Charles E.Keefe, William H.Keysor, Riley H.Knutson, Joseph S.Landrum, James D.Leskovsky, JohnLeslie, Raymond G.*Linder, Charles F.Loftus, Irving C.McBeath, John J.McCoy, Charles H.McGowan, Dempsey E.McIntyre, Arthur G. EM1LT Minton, Joseph A.O¹Brion, Elwood A.Ouillette, Virgil A.Palmer, Robert W.Pianka, John K.Pierce, Miner B.Poss, Edgar L.Price, Joseph T.Quarterman, Carl O.Rae, Thomas J.Roberts, Warren E.Roskell, CharlesRupp, Albert J.Russell, Paul D.Rutkowski, Henry W.Sawatzke, Lyle L.Schwartzly, John F.Shaw, Lee C.Sherry, Harmon B.Shoemaker, Dean B.Simpson, John E.*Snyder, George W., Jr.Stauber, George F.Taylor, Orville A.Toulon, Alfred J., Jr.Trigg, Thomas J.Ver Valin, Charles H.Walden, John S.Westerfield, Charles W.Whiting, George H.Whitlock, Charles H.Wilson, Charles M.Wise, William E.Withrow, William C.Witzke, Bernard W.York, Robert F.Zucco, PeterZufelt, Fred QM3

5 comments:

Unknown said...

My dad was James D. Landrum. He was an electricians mate on the Grenadier and spent 29 months as a POW of the Japanese. Dad is the one in the center of the photo holding the American Flag. It was my understanding that the POWs STOLE the bed sheet and colored pencils to make the flag. Many prisoners wanted nothing to do with it because they feared what the Japanese guards would do to them if caught. POWs would place the flag on the roof of one of the buildings hoping Allied planes would spot it. When liberated, the POWs placed the flag on a fireman's hook (the pole) and stormed through the main gate and the guards that were left. In the picture, my dad said, " Anyone getting in front of the American Flag is going in the water!"

Jim Landrum

Lisa said...

I am Lisa the youngest of Charles "John" I took my parents t the POW museum in Andersonville Ga and as we turned the corner going into the museum there stood the photograph of the above picture. Dad stood there with tears in his eyes and stated that he wished the flag was found and donated to the POW museum in Andersonville. Please if anyone has this flag let this site know. It is a testament of the courage that these brave men had to make an American Flag while in captivity.

Unknown said...

My father was EM Ralph L. Adkins. I'm not certain which one in the photo is him, but I believe he is the one in the second row directly behind the two men in the front with arms crossed over each other's. I have a photo of him, J.C. Embry, and 4 other men (whose names escape me at the moment) in the transport facility in the Philippines after they were liberated from Kokura.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jayson said...

My Grandfather was a POW from the USS Grenadier (SS210). This posting has the name listed erroneously. My Grandfather was Virgil A. Ouillette. I believe that the commas separating the first from last names has been misplaced.