Houston Volunteers

The Houston Volunteers were a group of 1,000 mencite news | url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40614F73E5D167B93C3AA178ED85F468485F9 | title = PRESIDENT LAUDS HOUSTON'S HEROES | format = fee | work = The New York Times | author = United Press | date = 1942-05-31 | accessdate = 2007-11-30 ] who volunteered for U.S. Navy service to avenge the loss of heavy cruiser USS|Houston|CA-30 after the ship was sunk by the Imperial Japanese Navy on 1 March 1942 in the Battle of Sunda Strait.cite web | url = http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/h8/houston-ii.htm | title = Houston | work = Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships | publisher = United States Navy | accessdate = 2007-11-30 ]

A drive in May 1942 for volunteers to replace the men lost on "Houston" culminated in the acceptance of 1,650 men for service in the Navy. A limit of 1,000 was set for the "Houston Volunteers" group. At the same time, war bond subscriptions totaling $85,000,000cite news | url = http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2003_3627567 | title = Bradley, served in Navy after brother's ship lost | work = Houston Chronicle | date = 2003-02-18 | first = Lynwood | last = Abram | accessdate = 2007-11-20 | page = A17 ] were raised to completely pay for another ship named for the city, the eventual USS|Houston|CL-81|3, with enough left over to pay for aircraft carrier USS|San Jacinto|CVL-30|3.cite web | url = http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/HH/qth3.html | title = "Houston" | first = Art | last = Leatherwood | work = Handbook of Texas | publisher = Texas State Historical Association | date = | accessdate = 2007-11-30 ]

On Memorial Day, 30 May 1942, a mass rally and induction ceremony took place in downtown Houston, Texas, the namesake city for the lost ship. The 1,000-man "Houston Volunteers" paraded with several hundred Navy officers and men through downtown Houston, and were accompanied by four bands. Forty-eight bombers based at nearby Ellington Field overflew the festivities.cite news | url = http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/414690301.html?dids=414690301:414690301&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=May+31%2C+1942&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(1886-Current+File)&edition=&startpage=3&desc=Americans+Will+Revenge+Houston%2C+Says+President | title = Americans Will Revenge Houston, Says President; Message Sent to More Than 1500 Volunteers Who Will Replace Heroes of Java Sea Battle | format = fee | work = Los Angeles Times | date = 1942-05-31 | accessdate = 2007-11-30 | page = p. 3 ]

After the parade, the volunteers lined up on Main Street in rows 16 abreast and were administered the Navy Oath by Rear Admiral William A. Glassford. A message from President Franklin Roosevelt, who had taken several pre-war cruises on "Houston", was read by Mayor of Houston Neal Pickett.

A crowd estimated at 150,000 to 200,000cite news | url = http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/217373482.html?dids=217373482:217373482&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&fmac=&date=May+31%2C+1942&author=&desc=1000+Texans+Sign+To+Avenge+Houston | title = 1000 Texans Sign To Avenge Houston | format = fee | author = Associated Press | work = The Washington Post | date = 1942-05-31 | accessdate = 2007-11-30 | page = 15 ] witnessed the ceremony and saw off the departing inductees who all left for training in San Diego, California on special trains.

One young man, Robert E. Bradley, was 16 and too young to enlist, but was nonetheless still allowed to participate because his older brother Leonard was lost when "Houston" (CA-30) went down.cite news | url = http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/414709131.html?dids=414709131:414709131&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Jun+6%2C+1942&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(1886-Current+File)&edition=&startpage=A8&desc=Texan+Seeks+to+Avenge+Brother%27s+Death+at+Sea | title = Texan Seeks to Avenge Brother's Death at Sea | format = fee | work = Los Angeles Times | date = 1942-06-05 | accessdate = 2007-11-30 | page = A8 ] He was sworn in on the train three days later when he turned 17 by Lt. Cmdr. Simon L. Shade, the same officer who had sworn in his older brother two years before. Only one man from the 1,000-man group eventually served aboard "Houston" (CL-81). [cite book | title = Ship of ghosts : the story of the USS Houston, FDR's legendary lost cruiser, and the epic saga of her survivors | first = James D. | last = Hornfischer | authorlink = James D. Hornfischer | location = New York | publisher = Bantam Books | year = 2006 | isbn = 9780553803907 | oclc = 69680190 ]

On 3 August 1942 the keel for Liberty ship SS "Houston Volunteers" (MC Hull #110), named in honor of the group of volunteers, was laid at the Todd Houston Shipyard.cite web | url = http://www.coltoncompany.com/shipbldg/ussbldrs/wwii/merchantshipbuilders/toddhouston.htm | title = Todd Houston Shipbuilding Corporation, Houston TX, WWII Construction Record | publisher = Colton Company | date = | accessdate = 2007-11-30 ] "Houston Volunteers" was delivered on 28 October 1942 and served in the Mediterranean during World War II. [cite web | url = http://germanhelmetsinc.com/gallery_km.html | first = Ken | last = Niewiarowicz | title = My Collection Gallery: Kriegsmarine helmets | date = | accessdate = 2007-11-30 ]

On 11 November 1995, a memorial to "Houston" (CA-30) was dedicated near the spot where the "Houston Volunteers" were inducted.cite journal | url = http://www.navalorder.org/NOUSApril2007.pdf | format = pdf | title = TEXAS COMMANDERY REMEMBERS USS HOUSTON | journal = NOUS News | volume = XXIV | issue = 2 | date = Spring 2007 | accessdate = 2007-11-30 | pages = 5 |id = OCLC|61483345 | first = Carter B. (Publisher) | last = Conlin ] The monument design features the ship’s bell, which was recovered by divers after the end of the war. [cite news | url = http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1995_1276555 | title = Cruiser Houston memorial planned/Veterans find fund raising difficult | first = Bob | last = Tutt | work = Houston Chronicle | date = 1995-05-29 | accessdate = 2007-11-30 | page = A33 ]

ee also

*History of Houston

References