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Month, Day 20XX 
A STEP BACK IN TIME

Hardy Mitchell proudly wearing his 419 ball cap

On Saturday, March 11, 2016, Richard Molck, Frank Yost and Manny Seligmann were honored to meet with Mr. Hardy Mitchell, a crewmember of USS Wainwright DD 419 which was commissioned in 1940.  Mr. Hardy's daughter had reached out to Rob Bennett, saying that her father spoke of his naval service all the time and asked if it was possible to obtain a ball cap for him.
Rob contacted Rich and asked if he could assist.  Rich then contacted Manny, saying that Mr. Mitchell lived closest to him.  Manny suggested that he and Rich make the visit together and invited Frank who lives in the same town as our newfound shipmate.
During the trailers' Midwest tour in May of 2015, the family of Stanley H. Scott, another DD 419 crew member, offered to share photos and documents collected by that sailor and subsequently sent them to Richard.  Rich made copies of those items as well as other documents sent to him from the family of another DD 419 sailor, Gerry Fulham, so he could share them with Mr. Mitchell and ask some questions to gain more knowledge of DD 419 history. 
 Mr. Mitchell told us he enlisted in January of 1942 right after Pearl Harbor.  He went onboard DD 419 in Brooklyn Navy Yard in that same year and was discharged from Wainwright in San Diego in 1946.  He had several duties while on board including acting as a hot sheller in the upper handling room and sight setter in the number 2 turret which was a 5-inch gun.  He told of sleeping and eating many nights in the gun along with a radioman who would relay the information to the bridge and fire control crews.
Rich interviewing Mr. Mitchell
Donated image of DD 419
 He also told us about Convoy PQ-17 in which they escorted 150 ships from Iceland to Archangel, Russia and that every crew member had to be on their toes and ready for General Quarters.   The seas were rough and they were not allowed to go outside.  He also remembered days of naval gunfire in June of 1943 to support General Patton's advances in Italy.
He was shown a picture of U Boat 593 which Wainwright, operating with HMS Calpe, found, captured and sank in December of 1943.
He remembered the German captain telling his captain that if the Wainwright had not been running zig zag pattern 5, he would have sunk them.  After rescuing the German crew the Wainwright sunk the U boat and took the crew to a POW camp in Naples, Italy.

He told us in detail about the depth charges DD 419 carried.  Some were in racks on the fantail.  A pin had to be pulled and they would roll off, exploding at a preset depth.  Others were amidships, four on the starboard side and four to port.  A string which ignited a KBAR powder charge shot the unit 15 feet off the side of the ship which had to be running at 22 knots or more to prevent damage to the ship from the explosion.   Each unit contained a 600  pound charge.

In February of 1944, Wainwright returned to New York for a three-week overhaul and then spent the next year patrolling the east coast of the U.S.  In April of 1945, she and 22 other ships were moved to the Pacific theater of operations which required them to change their camouflage paint scheme.
After discharge, Mr. Mitchell returned to his home in Palmetto, Florida.  After a short time working in the bridge construction industry, he found a job working for the City of Bradenton, Florida from which he retired after 35 years.   Mr. Mitchell also found time to father 10 children.
We very much appreciate the time that he and his family gave us.
Certificate presented to Hardy Mitchell
Frank, Rich and Manny presentation to Hardy Mitchell
Working Party
Any and all able bodied (able minded wouldn't hurt!) sailors who will be in the areas of the May trailer voyage are requested to help with the set-up/tear down of the exhibits as well as assisting with tours and explaining our history to visitors.   No experience required!
TOUR SCHEDULE
Melbourne, Florida.  Vietnam and all Veterans Conference of Brevard County
               Trailer arrives April 30, tours May 4 -8, trailer departs May 8
Pensacola, Florida.   National Naval Air Museum/Blue Angels Practice
               Trailer arrives May 9, tours May 10, trailer departs May 10
Mobile, Alabama.   USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park
               Trailer arrives May 10, tours May 11, trailer departs May 12
Rotonda West, Florida.  VFW Post 10476
               Trailer arrives May 12, tours May 13, trailer departs May 14
Charleston, South Carolina. U.S. Navy Cruiser Sailors Association Annual Reunion
               Trailer arrives May 21, tours May 22, trailer departs May 23
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Myrtle Beach Military Appreciation Day Parade
               Trailer arrives May 26, parade May 27, trailer departs May 27
 
Please contact Richard Molck at  trailerguy@usswainwright.org or Manny Seligmann at  mseligmann@usswainwright.org  to sign up or request additional information.

Trailer Donations
The USS Wainwright Veterans Association is a 501(c) 3 non-profit association of men who served aboard any of the three USS Wainwright ships. Our association exists to keep alive the memory of all vessels named Wainwright. With our mobile museum we educate the public about what our sailors have accomplished, and or completed while onboard any of the ship's named Wainwright. This mobile museum also promotes the United States Navy and Americanism, but we cannot do this without your support. We need your donations to support cost of operating this one of a kind teaching tool. Your donations are 100% tax deductible so please be generous and help us keep our museum going. Donations can be made on our web site http://www.usswainwright.org/donate/
Wainwright Veterans Association Newsletter | 269-397-1354 | newsletter@usswainwright.org | http://www.usswainwright.org/
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