Bruce mbabele@999info.net
Today marks the 67th anniversary of the loss of the Grunion, a day that 70 young men gave their lives in the service of their country. It was also a day that the lives of wives, parents, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and friends would forever be dramatically changed.
Since that day there has been a stream of events so unusual, so out of the ordinary that it makes one wonder if there has been Divine intervention.
The things that have been accomplished have been the result of a remarkable group of friends, family members, archivists, journalists and just plain compassionate individuals all over the world. They should be recognized for their contributions.
Least we forget:
Abele, Mannert L.
Alexander, Frank E.
Allen, Daniel E.
Arvan, Herbert J.
Banes, Paul E.
Bedard, Leo J.I.
Blinston, Wesley H.
Bonadies, Nicholas R.
Boo, Robert F.
Bouvia, Chester L.
Caldwell, George E.
Carroll, Richard H.
Clift, John S.
Collins, Michael F.
Cooksey, Lee D.
Cullinane, Daniel
Cuthbertson, Wm. H., Jr.
Deaton, Lawrence D.
DeStoop, Albert E.
Devaney, William P., Jr.
Dighton, Samuel R., Jr.
Doell, Louis H., Jr.
Franck, Leon H.
Graham, Merritt D.
Hall, Kenneth E.
Hellensmith, Ernest G.
Henderson, Hollice B.
Hutchinson, Charles R.
Kennedy, Sylvester J.
Knowles, Edward E., Jr.
Kockler, Lawrence R.
Kornahrens, William G.
Ledford, Moore J.
Lehman, Woodrow W.
Loe, Sidney A.
Lunsford, Samuel, Jr.
Lyon, James W.
Martin, Carson R.
Martin, Thomas E.
Mathison, Ryder
McCutcheon, Richard G.
McMahon, John M.
Miller, Ernest C.
Myers, David O.
Nave, Frank T.
Newcomb, Arthur G.
Nobles, John W.
Pancoast, Jack E.
Parziale, Carmine A.
Paul, Cornelius, Jr.
Pickel, Bernard J.
Post, Arnold C.
Randall, William H.
Ryan, Loyal, Jr.
Sanders, Howard A.
Schumann, Elmer T.
Sullivan, Paul P.
Surofchek, Steven
Swartwood, David N.
Templeton, Samuel A.
Thomas, Millener W.
Traviss, Byron A.
Ullmann, Albert
Van Woggelum, Marshall F.
Walter, Melvin H.
Webster, Raymond E.
Welch, Donald F.
Wells, John H.
Wilson, John E., Jr.
Youngman, Ralph J.
May they rest in peace.
As we remember the crew of the Grunion and the memory of this great loss today, I’d like to share with you that on July 18, a small group of family members, some friends, retired submariners, and the American Legion had a program to salute my Uncle Ryder Mathison, who was an Electrician’s Mate, First Class. We had put in a new marker for him in Graceland Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa: the hometown of Ryder and myself. The marker was near that of my mother, Marty Mathison Blinco, was was very close to Ryder. Ryder had been enlisted in the US Navy for 16 years. The ceremony was on 2 local TV stations, and one of our speakers. Larry Wentz, is the news anchor for one of those stations.
It was a very moving farewell and gave final recognition, honor, and closure to my Uncle Ryder. All went very smoothly, as the salute was planned from Arizona; and Mary and Dick Bentz were very helpful in providing 2 or the 4 pages of the program we designed for attendees, as well as the Naval Hymn CD, many suggestions, and a glossy picture of Ryder to display. Ryder’s grandson, Stephen, and his wife, Lori, presented a beautiful floral wreath of flowers they sent from California. As with almost all of you who are Grunion family members, we never forgot or gave up trying to find the fate of the Grunion. We are blessed that the Abele brothers initiated the search and solved the mystery.
I hope this will encourage more families to have individual ceremonies to honor their Grunion family crew member. Both Mary Bentz, who had a memorial for her uncle in Pennsylvania, and I will be happy to share suggestions and ideas. The Cleveland memorial was wonderful and never to be forgotten, but an individual remembrance of these crew members, after the Grunion’s discovery, is a superb way to remember these men and to keep them in the heart of the towns where they were born and raised.