Message #020
Larry Yungk - 12/12/00 03:46:31
My Email:lyungk@erols.com
Location (City, State): Arlington, VA
Favorite Ship/Class: Florida

Comments:
What a thrill to find this page. My grandfather Lester Hillegass, also served on the USS Florida, and must have been on the same time as your father. He served the entire time the ship was posted in the North Sea in WWI. He remained on for sometime after, as I know he was in the squadron that accompanied Woodrow Wilson's ship to France. The ship also was posted in the Azores when the NC-4 crossed the Atlantic in 1919 or 1920. He also had stories about being in Guantanamo Bay too.
My family has quite a few postcards of the ship, and life on the ship. If you would be interested I would be happy to scan them, or to send you copies. I have his USS Florida dress blue uniform, still in perfect condition. Also have a Christmas poster done for the ship in 1918 - has the King of England's visit to the ship. Again, I would be happy to make copies for any descendents of the crew.
I spent many years listening to my grandfather's stories about the Florida. He enlisted at 17 (lied about his age, leaving his home in Western PA. The time on the Florida was one of the great adventures of his life. He served on a 5 inch gun crew, and the anti-aircraft(!) station. Among the stories I remember best the hurricane the ship weathered in going to England. The time the ship dodged a torpedo off Bergen, Norway and may have run over the sub with its propeller. Losing a man on an observation blimp in the North Sea. Seeing the NC 4. And many other stories. He wrote down a few of these in a brief memoir. One lifetime memento of his WWI service was the large anchor with the name of the Florida on it, tattooed on his right forearm.
After the war, he returned to his home in McKeesport,PA, and married my grandmother - a marriage that lasted 67 years. He worked in various office jobs in steel mills through WWII. Then he pursued full time his lifelong dream and became a Methodist minister (he had a preacher's license from 1920 until he died). He was a healthy, happy and dynamic man who died just shy of his 90th birthday in 1989 after a short illness.
I would be very interested in learning if there are any survivors left from the USS Florida. I know it is unlikely as I assume they would have to be 100 years old now. But with 1500 persons on board, maybe a few live on.

Message #019
Chris Sicker - 07/12/00 02:56:01
My Email:sickhockey@aol.com
Location (City, State): Cleveland, Ohio
Favorite Ship/Class: USS FLORIDA BB-30

Comments:
I am searching for any information on John Yarrick who served on the USS FLORIDA in the 1920`s and was all navy batam weight boxing champ. He was my grandfather and we just found his photo album of his days on the USS FLORIDA.

Message #018
Bill Dubord - 06/26/00 17:05:09
My Email:bdubord@cyber-dyne.com
Location (City, State): Cottage Grove OR
Favorite Ship/Class: USS FLORIDA BB-30

Comments:
Dad sure loved his ship and used to tell me many stories about, coaling ship and some of the antics of the crew
The song words,that I remember kinda went:
"Joined the Navy to see the sea and some S.O.B. shoved a shovel onto me"
Dad played the "uke" and had many happy hours. I guess he even knew Arthur Godfrey, who was in at the same time.
I enjoy your presentation, keep up the good work.
Bill Dubord

Message #017
Jim Lenz - 06/14/00 23:02:42
My Email:PALADINLV45ACP@AOL.COM
Location (City, State): Las Vegas, NV
Favorite Ship/Class: Battleships

Comments:
One dandy of a site! Excellent work! Very well laid out + full of good info. I'll be visiting it again and again! I salute you, sir, for a job well done!

Message #016
Greg English - 04/13/00 02:10:12
My Email:genglis1@tampabay.rr.com
Location (City, State): Tampa, FL
Favorite Ship/Class: Dreadnaughts

Comments:
Acquired a painting of the USS Florida and was doing a little research

Message #015
PALADIN45ACP - 03/26/00 15:20:08
My URL:http://PALADINLV45ACP.com
My Email:SAME
Location (City, State): Las Vegas, NV
Favorite Ship/Class: USS Arizona

Comments:
Well researched, very concise. Excellent!

Message #014
Stan Homiski - 03/22/00 00:10:49
My Email:sahomjr@snet.net
Location (City, State): Norwich Connecticut
Favorite Ship/Class: Iowa Class Battlewagon

Comments:
This is a treasure. My wife's grandfather served on the Florida. Have quite a few photos of ship and crew. Very surprised to find his name on the ship's company list. Still attempting to get his service records from St Louis. Keep up the excellent work.
Message #013
B. Barnes - 01/21/00 01:25:46
My Email:sam@netrax.net
Location (City, State): Gettysburg, PA

Comments:
Greetings, nice site. My great uncle served on the Florida. I have a pennant, fotos, and a picture of the battleship. Thanks again

Message #012
Bob Colantuono - 11/23/99 18:19:21
My URL:http://www.oocities.org/yms425/YMS425.html
My Email:YMS425@mediaone.net
Location (City, State): Mashpee, MA
Favorite Ship/Class: USS YMS 425

Comments:
I served aboard the YMS 425, 1945&1946. My father served aboard several BBs, including the Arizona & the Utah between 1917 & 1933. I enjoy your site for obvious reasons.

Message #011
Gene Morath - 11/11/99 20:07:47
My Email:GMOR99@AOL.com
Location (City, State): Alexandria, VA
Favorite Ship/Class: Montana class

Comments:
Nice web site, Ben. Gene

Message #010
DARLEEN E. FURY - 10/18/99 23:37:49
My Email:ADCFURY1@JUNO.COM
Location (City, State): VIRGINIA BEACH,VA.
Favorite Ship/Class: USS FLORIDA

Comments:
MY FATHER VESPER LEE HOYE WAS A PHARMACIST MATE ON THE USS FLORIDA. DURING WW1. DO NOT HAVE THE DATES. ONLY HAVE SS# 052-03-2935. HAVE DATE OF BIRTH 12/30/1895. WEB SITE IS A REAL JOY TO ME, MAKES ME CLOSER TO MY FATHER. THANKS FOR STARTING THIS WEB SITE.

Message #009
Wilbur D. Dubord - 10/11/99 22:49:02
My URL:http:// ?
My Email:bdubord@cyber-dyne.com
Location (City, State): Cottage Grove, OR
Favorite Ship/Class: USS FLORIDA BB30

Comments:
My dad served on the Florida, 1918-21, Wilbur Joseph Dubord EM3. He was from Connecticut, very small, sang well and played the Uke. Had some fine stories about coaling the ship and also his rate. I think I recognise him in your E Division photo, 6th from the left, in the front row.

Message #008
James E. (Jim) Hamby, Jr. - 09/27/99 03:41:43
My Email:jimhamby@aol.com
Location (City, State): Denver, Colorado
Favorite Ship/Class: Since I was a kid, it was subs

Comments:
My father, James Edwin (Ed) Hamby, born Rockwood, Tennessee in November 1900, served on the USS Florida from June 30, 1917, until January 28, 1919. I obtained a copy of his enlistment papers (he was 16) and his service record from the National Personnel ecords Center in St. Louis. Presumably, he was on the Florida at Scappa Flow when the German fleet surrendered. Dad died in March 1963 in Oklahoma City. I am a graduate of the University of Florida. The Florida's BELL hangs at the University stadium i Gainesville, and I rang it several times 35+ years ago when I was a grad student there. It was quite a thrill.

Message #007
Hank Maifeld - 08/09/99 15:38:03
My URL:http://www.oocities.org/Pentagon/Barracks/1056
My Email:buckeye@exploremaine.com
Location (City, State): Rumford, Maine
Favorite Ship/Class: Aircraft Carriers

Comments:
Really nice site..I'm your Yahoo!GeoCities Community Leader. If you ever need assistance send me an email.

Message #006
Lawrence Shackelford - 08/06/99 22:44:28
My Email:jacob@Novanet1.com
Location (City, State): Oakley,Il.
Favorite Ship/Class: Iowa

Comments:


Message #005
Jim Rossbach - 06/20/99 07:07:18
My URL:http://www.dd950.cjb.net
My Email:DD950@mailcity.com
Location (City, State): Port Angeles, WA
Favorite Ship/Class: Forrest Sherman Destroyers

Comments:
Great site you have here! We are looking for shipmates and friends of the ex-USS Richard S. Edwards DD-950. Please join us at our online photo album at www.DD950.cjb.net . Then add your name to the crew list and sign the guest book at the www.DD950.com W b site. A small West Coast mini-reunion is being planned at the DD-951 Turner Joy in Bremerton, WA for late August or early Sept. 1999. The main DD-950 reunion is scheduled for June 2000. Full information is available at the www.DD950.com Web site. Or write me at: Jim Rossbach, POB 513, Port Angeles, WA 98362. The Voicemail number is: 1-888-TELEBOT, then Ext. 417-2190 Please help find our ex-shipmates by copying or printing and posting this message to other bulletin boards you visit.

Message #004
William Hughes - 03/31/99 22:34:50
My URL:http://members.home.net/wmhughes/ussutah.html
My Email:WmHughes@home.com
Location (City, State): Dallas County, Texas

Comments:
Enjoyed visiting your web site. I welcome you to visit the Flordia's sister ship site - THE USS UTAH ASSOCIATION: http:/members.home.net/wmhughes/ussutah.html Bill Hughes, former USS Utah Radioman

Message #003
J clarke - 03/31/99 20:43:42
My URL:http://www.oocities.org/pentagon/barracks/3136
My Email:jclarke4@geocities.com
Location (City, State): Ogden Utah
Favorite Ship/Class: USS Utah/ Florida Class!

Comments:
I just saw your web site. It looks great, I think that you might find that our pages are "sisters" so to speak.

Message #002
Wes Kreske - 03/20/99 11:49:13
My Email:lwesk@onecom.com
Location (City, State): OH
Favorite Ship/Class: DD

Comments:
I am passing through looking for shipmates of John R. Pierce DD-753. Great Site to bad people don't try and check them all out. The Florida was way before my time. Wes

Message #001
Benjamin M. Givens, Jr. - 01/24/99 21:24:34
My Email:bb58@erols.com
Location (City, State): Vienna, VA
Favorite Ship/Class: USS Indiana/South Dakota

Comments:
I'm making the first comment to get the system started. Thanks for the cruise.