THE QUEST
Chronological Report...
In Search of the U.S.S. Bennington
(CV-20)
(Looking for a Picture suitable
for framing)
November 28, 1996...AM
Thanksgiving Day. After my husband, Charlie, bragged
how he could find "anything" on the internet,
he went online with my father, Richard (Dick) Hill,who
was visiting for Thanksgiving
and, just for fun, made an attempt to find information
on the U.S.S. Bennington,
the aircraft carrier that my Dad had served on in
WWII.
Nothing was found by the time my parents had to go
back home.
Oh, oh... now it was a matter of honor!
November 28, 1996...PM
Company Gone...Back on the net...on with the search!
He found a picture of the "Benny" picking up one of
the Apollo Spacecraft Crews in the late sixties.
Then he thought... why not look for a picture of the
Bennington that would be suitable
for framing. Shouldn't be too difficult... He could
get it by Christmas... No sweat!
And what a great Christmas present it would be!
December 11, 1996...
After finding a new search engine called HotBot, Charlie
went back on the net,
and entered U.S.S. Bennington. Still... more pictures
of the Benny
picking up the Apollo Crews but there was one more
small search result...
The Bennington Museum, Bennington, Vermont. Hmmmm,
let's try that!
Little did my husband know what was about to unfold
by this contact...
December 12, 1996...
Charlie e-mailed the Bennington Museum asking for information
on getting a picture of the USS Bennington.
December 15, 1996
Not hearing anything from the Museum and getting nervous
with Christmas quickly
approaching he emailed the Museum again with more
detailed information thinking
that maybe the new curator wasn't familiar with the
history of the Bennington and her
ties with Bennington, Vermont.
December 24, 1996
Christmas Eve !!! Received a letter (snail mail) from
Stuart A. Hurd, Town Manager, Bennington, Vt
with two photos of the Benny along with a Resolution
from the Town of Bennington, VT
honoring her and her 51st reunion. But most important,
included in this "package"
was the name and address of a Bill Copeland, a reunion
association member
who has access to a great quantity of memorabilia.
December 26, 1996
Still no Picture...Maybe I could have that picture
by January 18...it would make a
nice birthday gift. Received a letter from Tyler Resch,
museum librarian and
also received great photos of the Bennington during
WWII...Still not the
picture I was looking for but at least I was getting
someplace...getting
very excited.
December 26,1996
Called Bill Copeland and made
arrangements to meet with him on Saturday December 28
at 3:00 Pm. During our phone
conversation I learned that Bill was stationed
on the Bennington during the
Vietnam war after she was renovated saying that his pictures
of her would not be recognizable
to anyone who served with her during WWII. They
had since added another flight
deck that angled off of the port side. But he did mention
that he had some artifacts that
might be of interest to us.
December 28, 1996
Charlie and I drove to Maynard, Mass. to visit with
Willard (Bill) Copeland. We found
a handsome fellow in his early fifties, very hospitable
and one of those people that after
you talk to for a few minutes you feel you have known
them all you life.
A perfect setting to feel relaxed so as to be able
to recall and ask all our questions
pertaining to your mission.
This meeting, by far, as you will see, will turn out
to be
the most important in our quest for the Bennington
- But Most Important...
a person to contact who is the best "historian" of
Bennington information around...
Bill then gave us our second big lead:
Rupert
Marshall, Monessen, Pa. a flight crew member during WWII,
who now helps with the reunions, and sells logo items
for the Bennington enthusiasts.
December 30, 1996...
Charlie called Rupert, and learned
that he had been a Signalman
on the Benny during WWII. He
kept track of all the guys that attend the reunions.
We ordered some things for my
Dad...a hat, a sweatshirt, and a ship's patch,
as well as asking for a good
quality picture. He said he had one he thought
we would like, and when he heard
our address, he laughed, and said
there was a shipmate living
in Stoughton, and he'd include his address in the package!
Another link back to the past.
January 9, 1997...
It turned out that John Connolly, a signalman in WWII,
and another plank owner,
was a neighbor of ours, right over on the next street!
We visited John and his wife, and heard some stories
of those times on the Bennington,
some funny and some sad...
We also learned of Some well
known WWII crewmembers:
Former Governor John Connolly
of Texas, (no relation to our neighbor),
who was also a plank owner,
and the CIC officer on the Bennington.
Jerry Clower, comedian and well-known
performer at the Grande Ole' Opry, in Nashville, TN.(Now, sad to say, deceased)
January 18, 1997...
Dad's Birthday (his 80th) had
arrived, and the whole family travelled to Wethersfield, Conn.
to help him celebrate. Children
and grandchildren all attended and sat listening
to the story of the "Quest"
and all the wonderful people who helped
to make it a so memorable. The
gifts were much appreciated, and Yes...
We were able to get a large
picture of the USS Bennington framed and ready
to hang in a place of honor
in Dad's Room. Dad now enjoys corresponding
with the new friends he made
because of the "Quest".
What a wonderful thing the Internet is!
My Dad hung this picture proudly
in his Radio Shack (Ham Radio Operator-W1QBH)
until he passed on May 17, 2002
He was the Communication's Officer
on the Benny
Please let me know how you like the page,
And if you have any more links I can add about the
Bennington! Thanks!
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