""My father, George W Sanchez was aboard the Belleau Wood betwenn 1941 - 1943 and I would love to find anyone that knew my father and could share their stories.
He is still living today in Pomona, California but not in very good health. What I would like to do for his upcoming birthday is to create memoir on his life. So if anyone has any memories or photos they can share, I would greatly appreciate your input.
God Bless."

go ship store's there you can order t-shirts an caps
an you might ask if there any vidio left of flight
operations he would sure enjoy those.Good luck Jack
"

DEAR JACK,
MY FATHER SHARED WITH ME A SOMEWHAT AMUSING STORY ABOUT HIS TIME ON THE USS BELLEAU WOOD. HE WAS A CHIEF AVIATION METALSMITH AND WELDER. AS THE STORY IS TOLD THERE WAS A SEAMAN WHO HAD A BIT OF A DISAGREEMENT WITH ONE OF THE OFFICERS AND "COLD-COCKED " HIM. OF COURSE THIS ENTITLED HIM TO A TRIP TO THE BRIGG. THE CAPTAIN WENT TO THE BRIGG TO INVESTIGATE AND FOUND THE SEAMAN DRUNK. HE DEMANDED TO KNOW WHERE HE GOT THE ALCOHOL. IT TURNS OUT MY FATHER WAS DRAINING OFF A WEE BIT OF ALCOHOL FROM EACH TORPEDO HE HAD ACCESS TO AND WAS SHARING IT WITH HIS SHIPMATES. ALTHOUGH SOME MAY BE DISTURBED BY THIS STORY THERE IS A BIT OF HUMOR TO BE APPRECIATED BY THESE BRAVE MEN SERVING THEIR COUNTRY SO BRAVELY. MY FATHER WAS IN SAN DIEGO AWAITING REASSIGNMENT WHEN THE SHIP WAS ATTACKED BY A DIVE BOMBER. HE WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE SHIP TO AFFECT REPAIRS AFTER THE ATTACK. THE PLANE WENT THRU THE FLIGHT DECK AND HAD KILLED ALL OF HIS BUNK-MATES. GOD BLESS ALL THOSE WHO SERVED SO PROUDLY. wITH GREAT PRIDE , I REMAIN,

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