Dear List Members, I am looking for descendants (if they exist) of my first cousin, HOWARD I. FISHER, who died on Christmas Day, 1944, when the ship on which he was sailing from England to France was torpedoed by a Nazi submarine the previous evening (Christmas Eve). Howard was a U.S. Army private at the time and had been living prior to his army duty in Erie, PA. Details of the ship's sinking were apparently kept secret for many years, until a book was written about the event. Go to: www.historychannel.com/exhibits/leopoldville/states/pa.html to learn more about the tragedy. Here is what I know about Howard to date: 1911, Dec. 04 - Howard born to Isaac H. Fisher and Sylvia Elisabeth (Wambach) Fisher in Irondequoit, Monroe County, NY 1914 - Isaac (Howard's father) dies from unknown causes. Burial in Irondequoit, cemetery. 1917, March 30 - Sylvia marries Paul Sitterle 1923, Sept. 23 - Sylvia also dies, leaving Howard an orphan. She is buried next to Isaac in Irondequoit cemetery. 1930 Erie County, Erie City, PA Census - Howard is living with (Uncle) Homer STULL BROWN family at 925 East 25th Street. Also in the household were Homer's wife, Mary (Mae H.) and his adopted son, Richard, listed as 19 years of age. I believe Mary to be the former Mary Fisher VAN LARE and Richard to be her son, resulting from her marriage to Isaac Van Lare in Pittsford, Monroe County, NY on 6 Feb. 1905. It should be noted that Mary Fisher was born Maria VASSEUR on 27 April, 1886 in Holland. The information about Van Lare and Vasseur was furnished to me by other researchers. It is unknown how the name Vasseur came to be Fisher, but we suspect it happened when the Vasseurs immigrated to the U.S. 1943 Erie City Directory - Howard I. Fisher (Elsie) living at 507 East 5th Street and Howard is listed as being in the U. S. Army. 1944, Dec. 25 - Howard and numerous other soldiers drown in the sinking of the S. S. Leopoldville. His body was never recovered. 1956, March 29 - Homer Stull Brown dies at the Erie Veteran's Administration Hospital. He is listed as the father of Richard Brown of Rochester, NY, undoubtedly his adopted son, Richard. My goal is to locate any possible descendants of Howard Fisher and/or Richard Brown. Any assistance in this endeavor will be very much appreciated! Thank you all for reading this, Robert F. Wambach Ontario, Wayne County, NY

It would seem that you might want Howard's military personnel records which should be available through the National Personnel Records Center. Go to archives.gov and click your way to military records or go specifically, to http://www.archives.gov/facilities/mo/st_louis/military_personnel_records/standard_form_180.html#sf You will have to fill out and submit a form SF-180 or write them a letter. These records are not online. --- BobWambach@aol.com wrote: > I am looking for descendants (if they exist) of > my first cousin, HOWARD I. > FISHER, who died on Christmas Day, 1944, when > the ship on which he was > sailing from England to France was torpedoed by > a Nazi submarine the previous > evening (Christmas Eve). Howard was a U.S. Army > private at the time and had > been living prior to his army duty in Erie, PA. > Details of the ship's sinking were apparently > kept secret for many years, > until a book was written about the event. > Here is what I know about Howard to date: > > 1911, Dec. 04 - Howard born to Isaac H. Fisher > and Sylvia Elisabeth (Wambach) > Fisher in Irondequoit, Monroe County, NY > > 1914 - Isaac (Howard's father) dies from > unknown causes. Burial in > Irondequoit, cemetery. > > 1917, March 30 - Sylvia marries Paul Sitterle > > 1923, Sept. 23 - Sylvia also dies, leaving > Howard an orphan. She is buried > next to Isaac in Irondequoit cemetery. > > 1930 Erie County, Erie City, PA Census - Howard > is living with (Uncle) Homer > STULL BROWN family at 925 East 25th Street. > Also in the household were > Homer's wife, Mary (Mae H.) and his adopted > son, Richard, listed as 19 years > of age. I believe Mary to be the former Mary > Fisher VAN LARE and Richard to > be her son, resulting from her marriage to > Isaac Van Lare in Pittsford, > Monroe County, NY on 6 Feb. 1905. It should be > noted that Mary Fisher was > born Maria VASSEUR on 27 April, 1886 in > Holland. The information about Van > Lare and Vasseur was furnished to me by other > researchers. It is unknown how > the name Vasseur came to be Fisher, but we > suspect it happened when the > Vasseurs immigrated to the U.S. > > 1943 Erie City Directory - Howard I. Fisher > (Elsie) living at 507 East 5th > Street and Howard is listed as being in the U. > S. Army. > > 1944, Dec. 25 - Howard and numerous other > soldiers drown in the sinking of > the S. S. Leopoldville. His body was never > recovered. > > 1956, March 29 - Homer Stull Brown dies at the > Erie Veteran's Administration > Hospital. He is listed as the father of Richard > Brown of Rochester, NY, > undoubtedly his adopted son, Richard. > > My goal is to locate any possible descendants > of Howard Fisher and/or Richard > Brown. Any assistance in this endeavor will be > very much appreciated! > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo. http://search.yahoo.com