Great Gramps helped rescue 45 Japanese sailors in January of 1935 from the Hokuman Maru. Latitude was 49:52, longitude was 129:54. He was on the Mail Liner President Jackson. He got a bronze metal and $100 from The Life Saving Benevolent Association of New York. On the back, “Vita Felicibus Ausis Servata.” Good job Gramps. Gangster. www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?221225 I couldn’t carry his underpants, just like most of my deceased relatives. Different breed eh?
Our old veterans including the Merchant Marine, were truly a special breed of brave men. My old Uncle Albert passed away last year. He was an Army vet, worked with the Graves Registration detail in Europe at the end of WWII. Had to be some bad memories there. Later called back for Korea. All he'd say about Korea was, "So cold. It was so cold..."
They were definitely a different breed . Harder times for sure. I honestly wish I had lived back then , than now , with these pansy assed , coddled, spoiled little brats today . Some of these kids ,, I couldn't find an ounce of respect for them out of a hundred of them . Thank you for sharing your Great Gramps story with us.
Newspaper story Japanese Crew Rescued. (Published 1935) ship that sunk and Bildagentur | mauritius images | The American ship President Jackson rescued forty-five people from the sinking Janapese freighter Hokumen Maru in the middle of the Pacific Ocean - the crew of the stricken vessel was taken off in lifeboats from the Jackson - some of the sailors swarmed down a rope ladder while others attempted ot jump straight into the lifeboats - several who fell into the sea were picked up and the entire crew was saved - after the occupants were safely aboard the President Jackson the lifeboats which had been used in the rescue work were abandoned as raging seas made it impossible to life them aboard - photo shows the last boat load of survivors from the Hokuman Maru ( sinking in background ) pulling away from the side of the vessel February 1st 1935
Da Nada. My brother and I discovered an entire world of family history hidd3en in newspaper articles from the last 100 years. Like my Grandpa owned a coffee shop down by the University of Arizona (Tucson) back int he day - before it was hip...
You may be underestimating yourself, meat. Circumstances placed your grandad in the time and place where the right decisions and actions needed to be taken, where risks and hazards had to be accepted and overcome. Nobody knows for certain what one will do when that critical moment comes at that place, but one can at least prepare for it...by developing knowledge, skills, and values that offer the widest possibilities...that and creativity and a good measure of luck. Some people act impulsively and instinctively....sometimes it works out...and sometimes it doesn't.. Physical courage is one thing, but often, moral courage presents far more opportunities for individuals, groups, communities and nations to make hard decisions....one may harrumph at at softness of the candy a$$ed youths of today...but it's often enough the flabby self indulgent old ba$tards in positions of power and authority who lack the moral courage to do what is right for humanity, instead of what is best for them for the next election cycle, or what is the best for their investment portfolio.... It matters not when and where disasters occur...there will be those who will run away, there will be those who will freeze or will otherwise be ineffectual, there will be some, who with leadership, will stand and battle the threat, and there will be a rare few who will provide that leadership and inspiration at their own peril. That has been an enduring characteristic of the human condition, and ever will be so.
Absolutely one of the most missed parts of the 9/11 story is the boat crews that were in action long before the Coast Guard got involved. Once the shit hit the fan on that day subways busses and streets were shut down . These men saw people gathering by the sea wall with some people in the water . They started pulling up to the sea wall and loading people . Once the Coast Guard saw how effective they were they put out a radio call and an armada of commercial and private boats showed up . They moved a half a million people in 9 hours . They also began moving supplies and medical stuff back to the areas on the trip back to pick up people. Common blue color workers pulled off the largest boat lift the world has ever seen in 9 hours . There are still plenty of good young people around First they are too busy doing something constructive to be out protesting to make the news . Second they don't fit the woke agenda the media is pushing . Third when they are pushed to the point of doing something the media portrays them as the problem (Jan 6th)
Only a few years later they’d put bullets in them most likely instead of hoisting them up. Humans are complex.
Grandpaw Maurice was at pearl harbor the day it was hit,He was a navigator on an ocean going vessel, Their unassigned job was rescuing the young sailors in the waters,Its just the right thing to do.
Now I have his Stetson hat. It looks like it’s in perfect condition to me, original box too. Tiny head he had though, tiny. Not square in shape either. Weird.
