Messages from "J.D." Doyle's Shipmates, Family and Friends

From Pat
Friday, March 07, 2003, 2:01 PM
Subject: Re: Doyle's page ready
Carolyn, this is wonderful!  Needless to say I shed a few tears.  I love it.  Thanks.
Love, Pat

~~~

Tom (Andy) Andrews
03/07/03 08:31 PM 
From ..... Columbia, S.C. Previously from Tate, Georgia

I went aboard the Eaton in the spring of 1958 and had the privilege of catching several games JD pitched. Brain Kenedy was also
on the team. JD was very good. I also went with him several times when he played golf. I wasn't a golfer so I was just along as a spectator.
There is no doubt he had many talents. I have talked to Tom a few times via email. I wish I had known JD was living in Chattanooga because
I was living in Dalton, Ga. from 1983 until 1996. We could have renewed an old friendship. Thank you.

Tom Andrews, Chief Signalman, United States Navy retired.

~~~

  David A. Del Gardo
03/07/03 10:47 PM 
From ...... Orlando,FL............Orginally fron LI.,N.Y. while on the Eaton

Hi Carolyn; That was a great website. A wonderful memorial to your brother-in-law.How did you go about it or who designed it for you.
I also played in that ballgame we won 1-0. I was the human backstop at third base and Kenedy calls me no bat but what does he know,
Doyle pitched a great game. Good Luck and God Bless.

David

~~~

Brian Kenedy
03/08/03 02:10 PM  

What a great tribute to a fine person. I served with JD for 3 years and he and I and Kilmister were inseparable.
From Brest France to Ethiopia to South Africa to Bermuda, we shared our food and our lives together.
Thanks for putting some body to the memories that many of us still hold dear...

Brian

~~~

   Anne Griffis
03/08/03 04:09 PM
From ..... Chattanooga

That was truly awesome and left me with chill bumps. I've known Pat and JD for years. In fact, they both
used to work for me. You are right, JD and Pat always lived life to it's fullest.

~~~

  Tom McDaniel
03/08/03 10:53 PM 
From ..... Chattanooga, Tennessee

Carolyn, once again you have created another inspiring page. I know you cared for Dad as much as anyone else
in our family and he you. He will be forever in our hearts and thoughts...and now some of his older friends we have only
heard about can share a small part of him that we all knew and loved. Much love, Tommy

~~~

David L. Nelson
03/09/03 05:58 PM
   From ...... Racine, Wisconsin

J.D. McDaniel was my gun captain on the Halford. I served on the Halford from December 1943 until the end of the war.
I never saw J.D. after that but I remember him very well. He was always in good humour and had a great sense of humour.
He was also a very good gun captain. He knew his job and did it well.

I was born on August 3, 1926 and joined the Navy on my 17th birthday, August 3, 1943. Somewhere along the line I aquired
the nick name, The Admiral. Not bad for someone who made it to S1c, twice.

My very best wishes to all the descendents of my Friend and Shipmate, J.D.

Dave Nelson

~~~

From David Nelson
Sunday, March 09, 2003 7:50 AM
Subject: J.D.
Hi Carolyn,  J.D was my gun captain.  I served on the Halford from Dec. 43 til the war ended.  Is J.D. still living?  
Dave Nelson

~~~

Subject: Halford
   Sun, 9 Mar 2003 08:19
   From: "David Nelson" <dnelson26@wi.rr.com>
     To: "Bobrsr@Erols.Com" <bobrsr@erols.com>
Hi Bob ... Thanks for the up-date. J.D. McDaniel was my gun captain. Gun #43.
Nothing new here. I'm in good health, hope you are also.
Dave Nelson

~~~

03-10-03
e-mail

Pat, What a beautiful tribute!!!! She did an absolutely wonderful job!! I can't say enough about it....
I love you ~ Jerry and James Tollett

~~~

From: John MacDonald
To: Tom McDaniel
Saturday, March 24, 2001 8:36 PM
Subject: Re: Battle Record Picture...

Tom: This photo was taken on the starboard side of the flying bridge. This particular location was a favorite place for a momento type
picture because it in effect was a sharing of our combat record represented by the painted scoreboard. It had to be taken subsequent to
October 30th, 1944 because the battleship was painted on the scoreboard following the battle of Suragaio Straits, October 24th.
That battleship was the Yamashiro, the 3rd largest in the IJN. While our steaming records record the time of and number of torpedos
the Halford launched and that we were able to discern hits, the Halford was never given actual credit.

Capital ships, battle, cruiser and carrier were generally mentioned by name but Tin Cans, the little guys, were expendable and
usually unmentioned as to participation, in spite of their contributions in combat. The fact is the Yamashiro had been under air attack
by our planes for a day or so prior to Oct' 24. There were 3 sections of Cans that made torpedo runs with out hits with the exception of
the Halford. In the meantime, the Yama' had taken hits from our battleship and Cruiser line. It was a joint effort but I
will always believe we gave her the coup d' grace.

The photo shows 14 men. I can remember the faces but only 6 names. From the right your Father (James D. McDaniel) is # 2
(that's the polaris in front of him) # 5 is Jack Shapiro; # 7, John Salisbury; #8, Allen McDonough; # 9, Bill Sylvia and #10, Carl Hilke.

My duty and watch station was on the bridge and generally, only crew with such duty had access. This picture is quite eclectic
in that you see various rates, a torpedo man, radar, radio, gunner's mate a deck division guy (deck ape) and below deck rates (snipes).
The latter were really persona non grata on the bridge. I never once went into an engine room.and never wanted to...that was
the domain of those that had to work there, plus it was hot, smelly and greasy. Opposed to below decks my bridge
had fresh air all the time even if it was tropical.

I know how your father must have been about his Navy days. I think almost all of us felt the same way. Talk to any of us left
and we'd all tell you we would go back to those days, anytime..all though most bitched and moaned about it at the time.
Accept my belated condolences to you on the passing of your father. WWII vets are leaving at the rate of about a 1000 a day.
Our time is limited and first hand memory of the Halford will be gone for ever. That or progeny have an interest in what we did
can be passed on though. If you were to attend the reunion, May 3/6 this year I'm sure you will meet some of us who knew
and remember your Dad. If I can find the Kodiak Bar photo I'll send you a copy. I didn't mean to mislead you but on remembering,
the gunner's mate in it is a Daniel McNamara..who was a very good friend of your father. If you have any pictures from
you dad's collection you might well recognze McNamara. Stay in touch and consider attenting our 11th and possibly final reunion.

Regards, John MacDonald

~~~

From John (Jack) E. Ortege
Bakersfield, CA
May 22, 2003
Entry in guest book

I damned near fainted when I saw JDs picture.There is not enough room here to describe him or his humor-What a guy-
I've thought of him over the years and often wondered about him. Yes he was a very special person but the honor in it-he was
my ship mate,a pal, a buddy, To have known and served with him was an honor !!!

~~~

From Pat
May 22, 2003
Re: Entry from shipmate of Doyle's

Doyle had a wonderful gift of making friends.  He never met a stranger.  He made a friend of everyone he met.
 I've seen him talk to perfect strangers and five minutes later they were lifelong friends.  It didn't matter who they were,
from the lowest to the highest.  He would have walked up to the president and made them a friend.  I was, of course, totally opposite
and I couldn't understand it.  It was a gift that I would like to have had but I was always so shy I could never talk to a stranger.
 He loved to entertain people.  Guess that accounts for his getting into these amateur shows and singing and other things.  
When he worked at the bar at the VFW, people came just to be entertained by him. He kept everyone laughing.  They loved him.  
People have always said he was the best one they ever had.  I didn't appreciate this gift of his
when I was younger but as I got older I did.  'We get too soon old and too late smart.'

XOXO Pat

~~~

From Andy
Wildwood, GA
July 7, 2003

Dear Aunt Carolyn, Thank you for the kind words and pictures about Dad.
I enjoyed the page very much and now have it in our favorites list. Sorry I am just getting around to
visiting but it has been a touchy subject. Again thank you I think you did a fine job.

~~~

From Ray Hooker, Jr.
Orlando, FL
July 6, 2003

I am the son of Ray Hooker, who served on the USS Halford,during WWII.
I have had the honor of attending 3 of the Ship's reunions. I was at the first one in San Diego in 1982.
As long as I am living,they will not be forgotten.

~~~

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