28 August 2005

Seabee

While looking for a Seabee link to put on Bill's blog I decided to do a web search for seabee and spence. My paternal grandfather, Harry Spence, was a Seabee in WWII and I thought I'd check and see if there was any info out there. I was surprised when I found this page with some of his memories from his time in the Pacific.

My grandpa is the only grandfather I've even known as my mom's father was gone and my stepdad's father had passed by the time I came around. My grandpa and my daughter share the same birthday, September 18, only 78 years apart.


The back says: Harry D Spence
U.S.N.C.B. 76
CO. C Platoon 4
Honolulu, Oahu T.H.
Late 1943

I've always really liked that picture and said so when I was visiting Louisiana, December 2000. My grandpa happened to have an extra print so I got one - it's still one of my favorite family photos.
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3 comments:

  1. Anonymous28 August, 2005 17:06

    Interesting stuff - your grandpa was a busy man. It reminded me of a story I heard on Public Radio about the African-American soldiers who loaded and unloaded munitions at the docks and how unsafe the conditions were. Accidents (explosions) were a bit too common, albeit on a much smaller scale than the one described by your grandfather. A group of soldiers organized and refused to work due to the unsafe conditions. I believe in the end they were somewhat successful.

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  2. Anonymous28 August, 2005 17:06

    Oops - that was me.
    -Ron

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  3. E to the M29 August, 2005 16:56

    Yeah, it's the squinty eyes...

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