Richard Wood tells about Ben Henry Pooley

Ben Henry was an icon of colorful radio broadcasts, political wit and the pushing of hot buttons of politics. It got him in a lot of hot water with local politicians. So - his life of survival among many attempted murders becomes a parody of our regional politics from 1950 to 1985. 

Richard Wood gives superb analysis of much mahem in our region at his blog.
judgingshaddows.blogspot.com . The story reflects some on the friendship between Wilson and Pooley that deteriorated to a mortally flawed association in later year. 

Nothing ever connects Wilson to the challenges on Pooley's well being - and the public remains to wonder why Pooley chose to keep on publicly irritating Wilson and other political figures. Pooley, it seems was not one to let "sleeping dogs lie"..

USS FRANKLIN Survival with Sam Rhodes

At the USS FRANKLIN reunion in June 2021, Sam Rhodes, who was a young sailor in the crew - related his experience after the bombing of the ship in April - off the coast of Japan. Over 800 sailors died. Sam was a "snipe" rating (the engine crew) He carried a rating of "Watertender" which was critical to running the oil fired boilers on most combatant ships of the day.  (PODCAST AT END)

 Sam's story (in the audio interview here) tells of the burning ship and the leadership of Chaplain Joseph O'Callahan to clear the decks and care for wounded. Much live ordnance from the ships' own planes and stocks to be loaded was rolling around the deck. Some was "cooking off" in the fires. The bombs HAD to be taken off by rolling over the side - through burning decks. 

Chaplain O'Callahan (A Lt. Commander) encouraged the young men to keep rolling the bombs - even though their hands were burning. After the last bomb as over the side, he left them for a few minutes and returned with whiskey from the Sick Bay. Only the Sick Bay on a US Navy ship has alcohol and it is for medicinal use. 

The boys were all encouraged by the chaplain to take some for their pain and exhaustion. It is for this reason - with respect for appropriate drinking - the shipmates of USS

O'CALLAHAN (DE/FF 1051) have modified our "IRISH BLESSING" to include (if appropriate) following the prayer for those in need (veterans, active or others who need a prayer) a shot of whiskey may be consumed. 

This, in the locality of an Irish Pub - and in honor of Fr. O'Callahan's Irish heritage - adds an extra dose of Irish Blessings to the person who says the prayer while their hand is placed on the seal of the ship. The seal includes the cross of the Chaplain's Christian faith. 

 It became a tradition among veteran shipmates of USS O'Callahan (in service from 1968-1998) to offer an Irish Blessing - sometimes with a Card showing the seal and the ship. More about the O'Callahan, the USS Gary and USS Franklin is found at their respective websites. Sam Rhodes (USS O'Callahan and USS Gary are the two honored with Medals of Honor for actions that day.) 

Baseball with Richard Wood and Dick Miller

A discussion among friends of some of the greats of baseball and the history of the game. Dick Miller is approaching 90 (in 2021) and had a near option to enter pro baseball. Fate brought another path including near death as a Marine in Korea, the marshalling of a brilliant mind toward 2 PhD's that led to his being "the father' of the "modern" baseball (and softball and golfball). Better living through chemistry. (Read more about Dick Miller at the INCOUNTRY blog )

Richard Wood is a dictionary of sports, especially baseball - whose career went from Air Force to ship captain for offshore service ships for oil rigs. With economic fluctuations in oil, he took on Truck Driving for survival. More recently he has retired from the rigors of the sea and road and uses his time in wise pursuit of fascinating explorations of history.

His blog -- judgingshaddows.blogspot.com is a thriller collection of the wayward lives in our region - mostly before 1950. His facebook posts mirror much of the blog at Panhandle Mysteries and Mayhem. These are great reading materials ... all well researched from the archives of ancient news. .... ENJOY THIS TRIP DOWN MEMORY ROAD for baseball.