As many of you know, I have been researching and writing a book about my grandfather, Lt. Minter Dial, after whom I was named. In the continuing pursuit of information, the internet seems to provides endless new sources. Since my grandfather died in December 1944 as a prisoner of the Japanese, it seems so unimaginable to think that we can come up now with more sources on his life, especially about his two and half years in prison camp. The latest piece of information we have come across–thanks to the work of my good friend Gilbert King, with whom the project is moving into another phase–is a 50 minute interview, recorded in 2002, of Capt. Robert Granston, a survivor of the POW experience. In this interview, Granston discusses about some of his close friends, notably Ens. Peronneau Wingo, the XO of the boat my father‘s father skippered (the USS Napa), as well as Lt. Warwick Scott, my mother’s uncle’s brother*. This all occurred in 1942-44, twenty years before my father met my mother. Now ain’t that a small world?
*thanks to Ginger for the correction
Very cool, Minter!
I read the interview. Great story. Bob is going to contact Edgar Scott, Jr., about the memoir Edgar Sr wrote for the family about Warwick, and will get back to you. I remember hearing that Warwick was a war hero, and love the story about his pillow case and the culture he brought to the prison camp. Very typical I’d say, remembering his brother Edgar as an island of culture in rather a wasteland of Philadelphia family chatter. It used to be such a treat to sit with him at dinner way back in the sixties…
Thanks for sharing. Definitely interesting stuff – I’ve been sucked into the Veteran’s History Project site for most of the day!