The Point Honda Watch received the following email on March 9, 2006 from Kim Hubbard, the granddaughter of our last known survivor, Gene Bruce. Kim's kind and sincere words must be shared with all who logon to this site. Thank you, Kim, for enriching our web site with your personal comments, and letting us know that our efforts to preserve the history of Point Honda are appreciated.   

"My name is Kimberly Hubbard and my grandfather was Gene Bruce, the last living survivor of the Point Honda disaster until he too passed away on December 6 2005. He served on the USS Chauncey. I just wanted to let you guys know that it is a great pleasure to know that you all have worked so hard at keeping this web site current. I was at my grandfather's service when Mr. Schwemmer read the poem dedicated to him. I think I cried the most then, not only because it was a beautiful poem, but because I knew how much Point Honda meant to my grandfather. The photo collage at the service was also an amazing sight. Again, I appreciate this website and all of you who work on it. Those of you who work on this website are very special people,  just like the ones you dedicate this site to—like my grandfather, Gene."

The Point Honda Watch welcomes correspondence from interested parties searching for information about kin and/or friends who served on ships of Destroyer Squadron Eleven on Sept. 8, 1923.

We received the following email on April 18, 2006 from CDR Arthur R. Lee, USN (ret) about his search for kin. We hope that CDR Lee's life-long quest will end here with good news. 

"Please list me as looking for information about my step-grandfather Machinist Mate First Class Joseph "Dutch" Heubel. He was said to have stood on the rocks and shut down the engines of his grounded ship. He received no awards or recognition.

My father, Lewis V. Clark, was a Seaman assigned to one of the grounded ships. He was on leave at the time of the disaster but returned as part of the rescue and cleanup party.

I knew LTJG Blodgett—Navigator on the Delphy at Point Honda—in 1941-2, while he was the O-in-C of Naval Ammunition Depot at West Loch (Pearl Harbor). He was a LCDR and frequently visited our on-base quarters (B).

I spent 30 years in the Navy, 1946/76, retiring in San Francisco, CA."

Click on the words log me in; I'm kin, friend or an interested party, and when your email opens up, enter your subject matter as "Kin" or "Friend" or "Interested Party", and tell us a little about yourself. Also, include your full name, home address, email address, telephone number, and if applicable, the name(s) of the sailor(s). Finally, click your send button and relax. We will post  your name, the sailor's name, and ship if applicable.